What stands out worked out from the figures below

Whitingham has the most homeowners (85.2%).

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	Whitingham	Salem
People
Population	1,368Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±7.1Highest 19% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
	Whitingham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Whitingham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below U.S.	$85,153±$5kHighest 5% above U.S.
	Salem and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$262,300±$30kLowest 21% below U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$673±$150Lowest 52% below U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,055Lowest 62% above U.S.	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.7%±47.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Whitingham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 44% above U.S.	29 minLowest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	9.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Twin Valley Unified School District #75	Salem
High school in town	Twin Valley Middle High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.8Lowest	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.