Compare towns
Salem vs West Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
West Boylston has the most homeowners (77.9%).
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 | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
7,782Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
45.5±2.7Highest 14% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| West Boylston 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 MA: 17.9% |
25.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$104,551±$12kHighest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
$440,000±$24kLowest 22% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,261±$154Lowest 28% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$6,115Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±4.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and West Boylston 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 | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | West Boylston |
| High school in town | Salem High | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| 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.