What stands out worked out from the figures below

Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).

Salem has the most expensive homes ($543k median).

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	Thompson	Salem
People
Population	9,337Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+7.6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Salem and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S.	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.
	Thompson and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S.	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±18.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.	29 minLowest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#130 of 149 in CT	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Thompson School District	Salem
High school in town	Tourtellotte Memorial High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.9Lowest	9.8Highest
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.