What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

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	Wells
People
Population	44,795Highest	11,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Wells 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%	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.	$88,024±$11kHighest 9% above U.S.
	Wells 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.	$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem and Wells 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%	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Salem and Wells 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	#22 of 133 in ME
School district	Salem	Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town	Salem High	Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	11.4Highest
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.