What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).

Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

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	Central Falls
People
Population	44,795Highest	22,701Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.3±1.5Highest about the U.S. average	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,153±$5kHighest 5% above U.S.	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.	$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.9%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Central Falls and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1944Highest 36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.	27 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#248 of 282 in MA	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Salem	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Salem High	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	14.6Highest
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.