Compare towns
Leicester vs Townsend 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
Leicester has the most people working from home (12.7%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Leicester | Townsend | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
9,100Highest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.8 25% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$30kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,700±$107k 7% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,098±$300Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
| Townsend and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±40.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 7% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Leicester and Townsend 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.