What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most homeowners (75.6%).

Lowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).

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	Lowell
People
Population	30,964Lowest	118,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S.	35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S.	$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S.	$429,200±$11kLowest 29% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,625±$146 15% above U.S.	$1,625±$40 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,992Highest 124% above U.S.	$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lowell 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%	16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	28 minLowest 6% above U.S.
Work from home	16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#38 of 120 in NH	#255 of 282 in MA
School district	Salem School District	Lowell
High school in town	Salem High School	Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	14.8Highest
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.