Compare towns
Burns vs Salisbury vs Ossian
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burns has the most affordable homes ($101k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Ossian has the most people working from home (10.4%).
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 | Burns | Salisbury | Ossian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 888 |
1,200Highest |
689Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±7.1Lowest 13% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5 30% above U.S. |
52.3±13.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Ossian and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Burns and Ossian are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.4%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.8%±8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossian and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Burns and Ossian are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,491±$6kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$71,738±$6k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $100,800±$18kLowest 70% below U.S. |
$306,900±$51kHighest 8% below U.S. |
$172,700±$43k 48% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$139 33% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$867±$302Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,783Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,842Highest 55% above U.S. |
$4,366 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±48.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossian and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ossian and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.