Compare towns
Lee vs Acton vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Lee | Acton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,719Lowest |
24,155Highest |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
| Lee and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$212Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
| Acton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 38% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #209 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lee | Acton-Boxborough | Triton |
| High school in town | Lee Middle/High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| 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.