What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).

Gorham has the most homeowners (81.5%).

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	Gorham
People
Population	44,795Highest	18,300Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average	39.4±2.9Highest about the U.S. average
	Gorham 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%	20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Gorham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.5%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Gorham 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.	$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.	$460,900±$26kLowest 39% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,680±$355Lowest 19% above U.S.
	Salem and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.	$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1988Highest 8 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%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Salem and Gorham 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	#24 of 133 in ME
School district	Salem	Gorham Public Schools
High school in town	Salem High	Gorham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	12.9Highest
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.