What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middleton has the youngest population (median age 43.5).

Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).

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	Middleton	Salisbury
People
Population	1,595Lowest	1,609Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	43.5±5.7Lowest about the NH average	51.5±4.5Highest 19% above NH
	Salisbury and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±4.2Lowest NH: 18.2%	20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2%
	Salisbury and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.9%±2Lowest NH: 20.1%	24.9%±4Highest NH: 20.1%
	Salisbury and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.4%Lowest NH: 40.6%	37.3%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.9Highest NH: 6%	2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Middleton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,696±$8kLowest about the NH average	$111,591±$17kHighest 13% above NH
	Salisbury and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$312,300±$27kLowest 22% below NH	$363,400±$47kHighest 10% below NH
	Salisbury and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,500±$293Lowest about the NH average	$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH
	Salisbury and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,504Lowest 17% below NH	$5,859Highest 12% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	83.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Middleton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%	7.1%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.5%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.9%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 45% above NH	32 minLowest 20% above NH
Work from home	14.1%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8%	23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8%
	Salisbury and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Middleton School District	Merrimack Valley School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.