Compare towns
Salem vs Cornish vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Salem | Cornish | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,964Highest |
1,816Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
| Cornish and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Pelham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,490±$9k 12% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
| Pelham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$146Highest 9% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
| Salem and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,992 5% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.9 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 120 in NH | — | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Salem School District | Cornish School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Salem High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.