Compare towns
Cambridge vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Salem has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Cambridge | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,262Lowest |
2,611Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.9±6.2Lowest 18% above NY |
47.5±4.2Highest 19% above NY |
| Salem and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±5.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
16.2%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Cambridge and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.8Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.9%±5.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Salem and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
31.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.3%±6Highest NY: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cambridge and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $72,612±$22kLowest 16% below NY |
$83,398±$12kHighest about the NY average |
| Salem and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$32kLowest 54% below NY |
$196,000±$26kHighest 54% below NY |
| Salem and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,164±$142Highest 28% below NY |
$948±$40Lowest 42% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,111Highest 22% below NY |
$3,908Lowest 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 84.7%±20.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
44.1%±7.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 14.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
17.6%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
77.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938 21 yrs older than NY |
1938 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest about the NY average |
29 minLowest 10% below NY |
| Work from home | 13.5%±7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
22.8%±12.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Salem and Cambridge 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 | — | #376 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | SALEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | SALEM HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.