What stands out worked out from the figures below

Woonsocket has the most kids (23.3% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Woonsocket	Salem
People
Population	43,521Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.	39.3±1.5Highest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Salem and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.	$85,153±$5kHighest 5% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S.	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Highest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	29 minLowest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 38 in RI	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket	Salem
High school in town	Woonsocket High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	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.