What stands out worked out from the figures below

Jaffrey has the most homeowners (81.8%).

Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).

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	Jaffrey	Salem
People
Population	5,448Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±3.9Highest 10% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
	Jaffrey and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Jaffrey and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,330±$18kHighest 14% above U.S.	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.
	Jaffrey and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,500±$27kLowest 26% below U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$962±$202Lowest 32% below U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,196Highest 99% above U.S.	$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±23Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 7% below U.S.	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	7.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#87 of 120 in NH	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District	Salem
High school in town	Conant Middle High School (H)	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	21.3Highest	9.8Lowest
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.