Compare towns
Hebron vs Durham 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
Hebron has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Salem has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hebron | Durham | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,751Lowest |
15,080Highest |
2,611 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.2±4.2Highest 34% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
47.5±4.2 22% above U.S. |
| Hebron and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salem and Hebron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hebron 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,205±$4kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$83,398±$12k 3% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,800±$26k 38% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$196,000±$26kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$120 25% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$40Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,183 34% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.7%±67.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±12.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #376 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | SALEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | SALEM HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
8.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.