What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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	Ware	Salem
People
Population	10,048Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
	Ware and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Ware and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Ware and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA	$85,153±$5kHighest 18% below MA
	Salem and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA	$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA	$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,237Lowest 29% below MA	$6,114Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Ware and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.8%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#267 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Ware	Salem
High school in town	Ware Junior/Senior High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	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.