What stands out worked out from the figures below

Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).

Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).

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	Smithfield	Salem
People
Population	22,233Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
	Smithfield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Smithfield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,077±$8kHighest 26% above U.S.	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$446,400±$12kLowest 34% above U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,207Lowest 67% above U.S.	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Smithfield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 7% below U.S.	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#8 of 38 in RI	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Smithfield	Salem
High school in town	Smithfield High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	9.8Lowest
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.