What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chester has the highest household income ($142k).

Salisbury has the most renters (28.8% rent).

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	Chester	Salisbury
People
Population	5,300Lowest	9,281Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47.2±3.8Lowest 21% above U.S.	51.3±3.5Highest 32% above U.S.
	Salisbury and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Chester and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	25.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Salisbury and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,212±$19kHighest 76% above U.S.	$93,361±$6kLowest 16% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$552,300±$42kHighest 66% above U.S.	$478,700±$27kLowest 44% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,691±$411 20% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,464Highest 171% above U.S.	$4,604Lowest 48% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	19%±72.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salisbury and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.	1980Lowest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 33% above U.S.	28 minLowest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	16.4%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Salisbury and Chester 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	#90 of 120 in NH	#240 of 282 in MA
School district	Chester School District	Triton
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.