What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most expensive homes ($543k median).

Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).

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	Thompson
People
Population	44,795Highest	9,337Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22%	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Salem and Thompson 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%	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.	$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S.
	Thompson and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.	$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.	$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	54%±18.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem and Thompson 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%	5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 8% above U.S.	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#248 of 282 in MA	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	Salem	Thompson School District
High school in town	Salem High	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Highest	7.9Lowest
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.