Compare towns
Cornish vs Salisbury vs Waltham
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).
Salisbury has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
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 | Salisbury | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,609 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Lowest 32% above U.S. |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waltham and Salisbury 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. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$97,500±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Waltham 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. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$329,700±$51k about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury and Waltham 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. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,096±$113Lowest 22% below 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 | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$5,714Lowest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornish and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cornish School District | Merrimack Valley School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.