Compare towns
Woburn vs Windsor Locks vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woburn has the highest household income ($111k).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
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.
| Measure | Woburn | Windsor Locks | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,939 |
12,579Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor Locks and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,185±$9kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $673,500±$17kHighest 102% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,221±$77Highest 57% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,354 72% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Windsor Locks 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 | #169 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Woburn | Windsor Locks School District | Salem |
| High school in town | Woburn High | Windsor Locks High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
8.9Lowest |
9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.