Compare towns
Merrimac vs Salisbury vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Salisbury | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,748 |
5,656Lowest |
9,281Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8Lowest 24% above MA |
51±6.9 28% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
| Salisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Merrimac and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury and Salisbury 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 18% above MA |
$92,469±$7kLowest 11% below MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
$465,900±$31kLowest 17% below MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$4,561Lowest 24% below MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980Lowest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Salisbury 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | — | Triton |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.