Compare towns
Salem vs Bow vs Framingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Framingham has the most expensive homes ($627k median).
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.
| Measure | Salem | Bow | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795 |
8,335Lowest |
72,399Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
37.5±1Lowest 4% below 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% |
21.7%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest 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% |
48.7% 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% |
6.5%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Framingham 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. |
$107,419±$6k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$627,300±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,033±$57Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,884 121% 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% |
53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Framingham 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% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
54.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest 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 | #229 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Bow School District | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Salem High | Bow High School | Framingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.