What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).

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	Bow
People
Population	44,795Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average	41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S.
	Bow and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bow and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Salem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
	Salem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	21.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bow 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	#248 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Salem	Bow School District
High school in town	Salem High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.