What stands out worked out from the figures below

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

Salem has the most homeowners (75.6%).

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	Worcester	Salem
People
Population	207,055Highest	30,964Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S.	44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S.	$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S.	$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Lowest 5% above U.S.	$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S.
	Salem and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Lowest 52% above U.S.	$6,992Highest 124% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Worcester and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#38 of 120 in NH
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	Salem School District
High school in town	South High Community	Salem High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.