What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most homeowners (75.6%).

Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).

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	Everett
People
Population	30,964Lowest	50,045Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S.	35.2±1.5Lowest 10% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.3%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S.	$85,218±$7kLowest 6% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,300±$16kLowest 42% above U.S.	$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S.	$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,992Highest 124% above U.S.	$4,880Lowest 56% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Everett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 10% above U.S.	35 minHighest 33% above U.S.
Work from home	16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#38 of 120 in NH	#264 of 282 in MA
School district	Salem School District	Everett
High school in town	Salem High School	Everett High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.