Compare towns
Canton vs Hatfield vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
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 | Canton | Hatfield | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Highest |
3,325Lowest |
5,656 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
46.8±5 17% above MA |
51±6.9Highest 28% above MA |
| Salisbury and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA |
$92,469±$7k 11% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$440,800±$26kLowest 22% below MA |
$465,900±$31k 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
$1,770±$444 about the MA average |
| Canton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Highest 9% above MA |
$4,930 18% below MA |
$4,561Lowest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
74.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #198 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Hatfield | — |
| High school in town | Canton High | Smith Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
6.1Lowest |
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| 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.