Compare towns
Lee vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Townsend | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,719Lowest |
9,100 |
9,281Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
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% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Lee 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 |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Townsend and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$478,700±$27kHighest 15% below MA |
| Salisbury and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$212Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Townsend 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 38% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lee | North Middlesex | Triton |
| High school in town | Lee Middle/High School | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
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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.