Compare towns
Salem vs Windham vs Middleborough
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 shortest commute (29 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Middleborough has the most affordable homes ($469k median).
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 | Windham | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,964Highest |
16,038Lowest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1 12% above U.S. |
| Salem and Middleborough 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middleborough 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Windham 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,300±$16k 42% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$468,700±$18kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,706±$72 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,992 124% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,023Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleborough and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem School District | Windham School District | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Salem High School | Windham High School | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.