Compare towns
Salem vs Marblehead vs Hooksett
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).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Marblehead | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,964Highest |
20,413 |
15,057Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.7 15% above U.S. |
49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Marblehead 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% |
22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Marblehead and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Marblehead and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,490±$9kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,300±$16k 42% above U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$1,764±$147Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,992 124% above U.S. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marblehead 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% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 120 in NH | #47 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Salem School District | Marblehead | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Salem High School | Marblehead High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| 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.