Compare towns
Hudson vs Salem vs Nashua
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
Bordering HudsonHudson
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Salem has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% 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 | Hudson | Salem | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,469Lowest |
30,964 |
91,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6% NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±3.4Highest 7% above NH |
44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
40±1.3Lowest 8% below NH |
| Hudson and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.2%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
18.6%±1.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Nashua and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
16.9%±1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hudson and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
38.7% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6% |
5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
| Hudson and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,842±$19kLowest 3% below NH |
$110,490±$9kHighest 12% above NH |
$96,326±$5k about the NH average |
| Salem and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,400±$24kLowest 9% below NH |
$473,300±$16kHighest 18% above NH |
$403,900±$11k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,722±$86 15% above NH |
$1,625±$146Lowest 9% above NH |
$1,737±$41Highest 16% above NH |
| Nashua and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,729Lowest 14% below NH |
$6,992Highest 5% above NH |
$6,799 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.9%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
45.8%±4.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Nashua and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% NH: 7.2% |
5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% NH: 72.8% |
75.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above NH |
29 min 9% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17.4%±1.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Hudson and Nashua 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 | #63 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Salem School District | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | — | Salem High School | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.