What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westhampton has the most homeowners (91.4%).

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	Westhampton	Salem
People
Population	1,552Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.3±4.9Highest 23% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	18%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Westhampton and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.4%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,000±$7kHighest 4% below MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$413,200±$24kLowest 26% below MA	$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,304±$229Lowest 26% below MA	$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,476Highest 8% above MA	$6,114Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Salem and Westhampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest about the MA average	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	14.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Hampshire · Westhampton	Salem
High school in town	Hampshire Regional High	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0Highest	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.