What stands out worked out from the figures below

Haverhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).

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	Haverhill	Salisbury
People
Population	67,698Highest	1,609Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average	51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22%	20.1%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Haverhill and Salisbury 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%	24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S.	$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$453,900±$9kHighest 36% above U.S.	$363,400±$47kLowest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,668±$49Lowest 18% above U.S.	$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S.
	Salisbury 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.	$5,859Highest 88% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Haverhill and Salisbury 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%	7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 4% above U.S.	32 minHighest 21% above U.S.
Work from home	12.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Salisbury and Haverhill 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	—
School district	Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical	Merrimack Valley School District
High school in town	Haverhill High	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.