Compare towns
Conway vs Salem vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Conway has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Conway | Salem | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,755Lowest |
44,795Highest |
5,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±3Highest 39% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
| Conway and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Conway and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.9%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,250±$11k 6% below MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$106,136±$14kHighest about the MA average |
| Deerfield and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,900±$25kLowest 30% below MA |
$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$990 about the MA average |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
| Salem and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,797Lowest 3% below MA |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.9%±33.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 18% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 29.1%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Conway and Salem 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Conway | Salem | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.