What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most homeowners (86.6%).

Colchester has the most renters (23.5% rent).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Salem	Colchester
People
Population	4,282Lowest	15,648Highest
Median age	40.9±5.4Lowest about the CT average	43.5±3.8Highest 6% above CT
	Colchester and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.2%±5.1Highest CT: 20.2%	20.7%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Salem and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±4.7Lowest CT: 18.5%	20.3%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%
	Colchester and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Highest CT: 42.5%	49.7%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.3Highest CT: 7.1%	4.6%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Salem and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$123,245±$8kHighest 29% above CT	$122,390±$14kLowest 28% above CT
	Salem and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$403,600±$33kHighest 10% above CT	$366,800±$16kLowest about the CT average
	Salem and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,440±$150Lowest 3% below CT	$1,474±$153Highest about the CT average
	Colchester and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,668Highest about the CT average	$6,212Lowest 6% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.1%±26Lowest CT: 52.6%	44.4%±10.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Colchester and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest CT: 10%	3.9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	76.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT	1984Lowest 17 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 19% above CT	30 minLowest 14% above CT
Work from home	18%±9.6Lowest CT: 16%	18.4%±3.8Highest CT: 16%
	Colchester and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#11 of 149 in CT	#64 of 149 in CT
School district	Salem School District	Colchester School District
High school in town	None in town	Bacon Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.