What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most people working from home (16.3%).

Pawtucket has the most kids (22.4% under 18).

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	Pawtucket
People
Population	30,964Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket 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.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S.	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,992Highest 124% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pawtucket 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%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#38 of 120 in NH	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Salem School District	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Salem High School	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	14.6Highest
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.