What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).

Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).

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	Wakefield
People
Population	44,795Highest	27,793Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average	42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA
	Wakefield 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%	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield 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%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA	$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA	$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA
	Wakefield and Salem 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	$7,779Highest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Salem and Wakefield 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%	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	33 minHighest 14% above MA
Work from home	21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield and Salem 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	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Salem	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Salem High	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	10.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.