Compare towns
Cornwall vs Salem vs Mendon 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 highest household income ($115k).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Salem | Mendon | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
44,795Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5 30% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Cornwall and Salisbury 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%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Mendon 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% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Mendon 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. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
| Salem 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. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Cornwall 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% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Mendon 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Salem | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— | — |
| 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.