Compare towns
Cornwall vs Methuen 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
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Methuen has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k 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 | Cornwall | Methuen | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
53,475Highest |
1,200Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Methuen and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
| Methuen and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726Highest 116% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #236 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Methuen | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Methuen High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.