What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most homeowners (75.6%).

Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).

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	Lawrence
People
Population	30,964Lowest	88,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S.	32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lawrence and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S.	$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S.	$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S.	$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S.
	Lawrence and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,992Highest 124% above U.S.	$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	23 minLowest 13% below U.S.
Work from home	16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#38 of 120 in NH	#278 of 282 in MA
School district	Salem School District	Lawrence
High school in town	Salem High School	Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	13.6Highest
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.