Compare towns
Salem vs Cambridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Cambridge has the most kids (21.2% 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 | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,611Highest |
2,262Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 47.5±4.2Highest 19% above NY |
46.9±6.2Lowest 18% above NY |
| Salem and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.2%±5.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Cambridge and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±5.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
17.2%±4.8Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Salem and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
32.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
8.3%±6Highest NY: 7% |
| Cambridge and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $83,398±$12kHighest about the NY average |
$72,612±$22kLowest 16% below NY |
| Salem and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,000±$26kHighest 54% below NY |
$193,800±$32kLowest 54% below NY |
| Salem and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$40Lowest 42% below NY |
$1,164±$142Highest 28% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 41% below NY |
$5,111Highest 22% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±7.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
84.7%±20.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest NY: 14% |
14.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
73.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938 21 yrs older than NY |
1938 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 22.8%±12.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
13.5%±7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Salem and Cambridge 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 | #376 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | SALEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | SALEM HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.