What stands out worked out from the figures below

Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).

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	Springfield	Salem
People
Population	154,749Highest	44,795Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA	39.3±1.5Highest about the MA average
Kids under 18	24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Salem and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA	$85,153±$5kHighest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA	$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA	$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,695Lowest 38% below MA	$6,114Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Springfield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	25.8%Highest MA: 10%	12.1%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 31% below MA	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#276 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Springfield	Salem
High school in town	Springfield Central High	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.