Compare towns
Amesbury vs Great Barrington vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
Great Barrington has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (71.2%).
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 | Amesbury | Great Barrington | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
7,202Lowest |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
49.7±4.2 24% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
| Salisbury and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.9%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Amesbury and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.7%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Great Barrington and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% MA: 47.3% |
49.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kHighest about the MA average |
$84,132±$11kLowest 19% below MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
$494,300±$61k 12% below MA |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
| Amesbury and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$1,314±$239Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$5,935 about the MA average |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.9%±15.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
22 minLowest 25% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
23.6%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Great Barrington and Salisbury 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | #139 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Berkshire Hills | Triton |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Monument Mt Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
9.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.