Compare towns
Dalton vs Salisbury vs Amesbury
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).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.7%).
Amesbury has the youngest population (median age 43.7).
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 | Salisbury | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256 |
5,656Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
51±6.9Highest 28% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% 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% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury and Amesbury 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 |
$92,469±$7k 11% below MA |
$103,554±$12kHighest about the MA average |
| Amesbury 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 47% below MA |
$465,900±$31k 17% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Amesbury 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 |
$4,561 24% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury 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 MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Amesbury 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 | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | — | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | — | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | 10.9 |
| 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.