Compare towns
Salem vs Windsor vs Woburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Woburn has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Windsor | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
3,554Lowest |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.8±6.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Windsor 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$111,185±$9kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$673,500±$17kHighest 102% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$2,221±$77Highest 57% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$5,209Lowest 67% above U.S. |
$5,354 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woburn 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #61 of 70 in VT | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | — | Woburn |
| High school in town | Salem High | — | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.