Compare towns
Dalton vs Merrimac vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Merrimac | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256Lowest |
6,748 |
9,281Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
49.4±6.8Lowest 24% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Merrimac 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 MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury and Dalton 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 24% below MA |
$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,352±$325 23% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Dalton 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Pentucket | Triton |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.