What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).

Stow has the highest household income ($186k).

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	Stow
People
Population	44,795Highest	7,165Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average	44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA
	Stow 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 MA: 19.4%	22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Stow 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 MA: 47.3%	75.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA	$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA	$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA	$1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average
	Salem and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,114Lowest about the MA average	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Stow and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.1%Highest MA: 10%	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	36 minHighest 23% above MA
Work from home	21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#248 of 282 in MA	#44 of 282 in MA
School district	Salem	Nashoba
High school in town	Salem High	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA 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.