What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).

Westminster has the most homeowners (87.6%).

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	Westminster
People
Population	44,795Highest	8,374Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average	48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Westminster 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%	26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	45.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA	$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average
	Westminster 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 3% below MA	$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA	$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA
	Westminster and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,114Highest about the MA average	$4,973Lowest 17% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Westminster 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%	2.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	87.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest about the MA average	27 minLowest 7% below MA
Work from home	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%	12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#248 of 282 in MA	#112 of 282 in MA
School district	Salem	Ashburnham-Westminster
High school in town	Salem High	Oakmont Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	13.6Highest
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.