Compare towns
Haverhill vs Wolfeboro 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
6,571Lowest |
30,964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Haverhill and Salem 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. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Salem and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9kLowest 36% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16k 42% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,625±$146 15% above U.S. |
| Haverhill and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,772 53% above U.S. |
$4,531Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wolfeboro 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Kingswood Regional High School | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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.