What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).

Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).

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	Wakefield	Salem
People
Population	27,793Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
	Wakefield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA	$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA	$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA
	Wakefield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,779Highest 30% above MA	$6,114Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Salem and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 14% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#179 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	Salem
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Highest	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.