Compare towns
Windsor vs Salem vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
New Braintree has the most kids (20% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Windsor | Salem | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,065 |
44,795Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
| New Braintree and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
| Windsor and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32kLowest 31% below MA |
$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
$408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,484±$316Lowest 16% below MA |
| Salem and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$5,508 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and Windsor 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Salem | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.