Compare towns
Amesbury vs Salisbury 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).
Salisbury has the most renters (34.5% rent).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Salisbury | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
5,656Lowest |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
51±6.9 28% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
| Salisbury and Salisbury 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% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury 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% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kHighest about the MA average |
$92,469±$7kLowest 11% 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 |
$465,900±$31kLowest 17% below MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Salisbury 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 |
$4,561Lowest 24% below MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | — | Triton |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.