Compare towns
Cornish vs Lancaster vs Sutton 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 most affordable homes ($296k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (96.9%).
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 | Lancaster | Sutton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
8,606 |
9,452Highest |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Sutton 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest 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% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%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% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632 36% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Salisbury 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. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Nashoba | Sutton | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.