Compare towns
Dalton vs Andover 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
Dalton has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Salisbury has the most expensive homes ($479k 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 | Dalton | Andover | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256 |
616Lowest |
9,281Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8 28% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Lowest 26% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dalton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salisbury and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,438±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$102,500±$38kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$93,361±$6k 16% above U.S. |
| Andover and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,700±$26kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$382,900±$68k 15% above U.S. |
$478,700±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,389±$364 about the U.S. average |
$1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,276Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$5,190Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | — | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | — | Triton |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — |
| 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.