What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).

Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).

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	Wareham	Salem
People
Population	23,302Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Salem and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Salem and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,383±$11kHighest 13% below MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
	Wareham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA	$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA	$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA	$6,114Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Salem and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#272 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Salem
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	9.8Highest
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.