What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most homeowners (75.6%).

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

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	Worcester
People
Population	30,964Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S.	33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S.	$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S.	$374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S.	$1,487±$38Lowest 5% above U.S.
	Salem and Worcester 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.	$4,733Lowest 52% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Worcester 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%	19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#38 of 120 in NH	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Salem School District	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	Salem High School	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.