What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).

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	Windham	Salem
People
Population	19,188Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.8Highest 7% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
	Windham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Windham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Salem and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S.	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S.	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Salem and Windham 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	#95 of 133 in ME	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	RSU 14	Salem
High school in town	Windham High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	9.8Lowest
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.