Compare towns
Pelham vs Acton 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
Pelham has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($473k median).
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 | Pelham | Acton | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,449Lowest |
24,155 |
30,964Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Salem and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Acton and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salem and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$158,230±$14kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$110,490±$9kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Acton and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,625±$146 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,992Lowest 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 120 in NH | #13 of 282 in MA | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pelham School District | Acton-Boxborough | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
13.5Highest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.