Compare towns
Addison vs Webster vs Salisbury vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Addison has the highest household income ($107k).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Addison | Webster | Salisbury | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,175 |
17,748Highest |
1,200 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 53.1±7.6 37% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.6±6.5 30% above U.S. |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.1%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,667±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$97,500±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Addison and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$23kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$329,700±$51k about the U.S. average |
| Addison and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,019±$461Highest 43% above U.S. |
$1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
$1,096±$113Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Addison and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,831Highest 87% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
$5,714 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±62.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waltham and Addison 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 | — | #271 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Webster | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | Bartlett High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.