Compare towns
Deerfield vs Salisbury vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Salisbury has the most expensive homes ($479k median).
Westminster has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
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 | Deerfield | Salisbury | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
9,281Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
48.3±4.6Lowest 21% above MA |
| Deerfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$93,361±$6kLowest 10% below MA |
$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average |
| Westminster and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
$478,700±$27kHighest 15% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
| Salisbury and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest about the MA average |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Deerfield 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Triton | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | None in town | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.