Compare towns
Salem vs Ogunquit vs Gray vs Woburn
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Ogunquit | Gray | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
1,379Lowest |
8,429 |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Woburn 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Gray 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. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$111,185±$9k 38% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$673,500±$17k 102% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
— | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,221±$77Highest 57% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,354 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Woburn 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Woburn |
| High school in town | Salem High | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.