Compare towns
Haverhill vs Epping vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Haverhill has the most renters (37.2% rent).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Salem has the highest household income ($110k).
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 | Haverhill | Epping | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
7,430Lowest |
30,964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7 15% above U.S. |
| Epping and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Haverhill and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Salem and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9k 36% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Salem and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49 18% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Epping and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,772Lowest 53% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #243 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Epping School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Epping High School | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
9.3Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.