Compare towns
Merrimac vs Ogunquit vs Salisbury vs West Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Salisbury has the most renters (28.8% rent).
West Boylston has the most affordable homes ($440k median).
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 | Merrimac | Ogunquit | Salisbury | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,748 |
1,379Lowest |
9,281Highest |
7,782 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8 27% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5 32% above U.S. |
45.5±2.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Merrimac and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salisbury and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$93,361±$6kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$104,551±$12k 30% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38k 66% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$478,700±$27k 44% above U.S. |
$440,000±$24kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325 4% below U.S. |
— | $1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,261±$154Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.9%±12.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Merrimac 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #188 of 282 in MA | — | #240 of 282 in MA | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | — | Triton | West Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.