Compare towns
Salem vs Gray vs Hudson
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 renters (24.4% rent).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Hudson has the most people working from home (19.6%).
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 | Gray | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,964Highest |
8,429Lowest |
25,557 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.7 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.7±1.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Hudson and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hudson and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hudson and Gray 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 37% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$124,213±$6kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Hudson 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±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$438,900±$11k 32% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$146 15% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,735±$123Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Hudson 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,636 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.3%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hudson and Salem 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #63 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Salem School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hudson School District |
| High school in town | Salem High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Alvirne High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
11.6 |
| 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.