Compare towns
Middlesex vs Salem vs Sandgate vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most expensive homes ($376k median).
Salem has the most renters (22.9% rent).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Middlesex | Salem | Sandgate | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
2,611Highest |
435Lowest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
47.5±4.2 22% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$83,398±$12k 3% above U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$196,000±$26k 41% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$948±$40Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— | $1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±7.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Middlesex 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 | — | #376 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | SALEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | SALEM HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.