Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Salem vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pinehurst has the highest household income ($146k).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Halifax has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Pinehurst | Salem | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
44,795Highest |
7,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2Highest 7% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
| Pinehurst and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27kHighest 41% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
| Pinehurst and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22kHighest 11% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1kHighest 10% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,804±$375Lowest about the MA average |
| Pinehurst and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316 5% above MA |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$6,840Highest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and Halifax 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Salem | Halifax |
| High school in town | — | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.