Compare towns
Plaistow vs Haverhill 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
Plaistow has the most affordable homes ($405k median).
Haverhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Salem has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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.
| Measure | Plaistow | Haverhill | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,861Lowest |
67,698Highest |
30,964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7 3% above U.S. |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Salem and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Haverhill and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salem and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Haverhill and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,317±$13k 34% above U.S. |
$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Salem and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$453,900±$9k 36% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Salem and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187 18% above U.S. |
$1,668±$49Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Haverhill and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,772Lowest 53% above U.S. |
$6,992 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Haverhill and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Plaistow 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #243 of 282 in MA | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Haverhill High | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.5Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.