Compare towns
Cornish vs Dover vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1308k median).
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 | Cornish | Dover | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
2,308Highest |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
47.5±4Lowest 22% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
83.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.4%±4.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$1,308,300±$149kHighest 293% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
— | $1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
37.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover 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 | — | #1 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None 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.