Compare towns
Dummer vs Pelham vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Salem has the most renters (24.4% 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.
| Measure | Dummer | Pelham | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 299Lowest |
14,449 |
30,964Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4Highest 24% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
| Dummer and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Pelham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Dummer and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40%Highest NH: 40.6% |
38.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±5.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
| Pelham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$21kLowest 8% below NH |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$110,490±$9k 12% above NH |
| Pelham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,200±$51kLowest 40% below NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,625±$146Highest 9% above NH |
| Salem and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,898Lowest 57% below NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$6,992 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below NH |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
29 min 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #48 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Pelham School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | — | Pelham High School | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.