Compare towns
Salem vs Fall River vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most people working from home (16.3%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Methuen has the most kids (21.3% 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 | Salem | Fall River | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,964Lowest |
94,082Highest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salem and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,490±$9k 37% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Methuen 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 42% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$146 15% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fall River and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Methuen 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #262 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem School District | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Methuen |
| High school in town | Salem High School | B M C Durfee High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
11.3 |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.