Compare towns
Danby vs Acton 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
Danby has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Danby | Acton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,133Lowest |
24,155Highest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.6±4.8Highest 35% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8Lowest 14% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5 30% above U.S. |
| Danby and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Acton and Danby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,321±$13kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$158,230±$14kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$41kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$166Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
| Acton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,543Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.4%±34.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Acton and Danby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Acton-Boxborough | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.