Compare towns
Merrimac vs Salisbury vs West Boylston
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 (+11.5%).
West Boylston has the shortest commute (25 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 | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,748Lowest |
9,281Highest |
7,782 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8 24% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
45.5±2.7Lowest 14% above MA |
| Salisbury and Merrimac 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% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| 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%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.8%±3.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and West Boylston 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% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury and West Boylston 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 |
$93,361±$6kLowest 10% below MA |
$104,551±$12k about the MA average |
| Merrimac and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$440,000±$24kLowest 22% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325 23% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
$1,261±$154Lowest 28% below MA |
| 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 23% above MA |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
$6,115 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±4.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and West Boylston 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 | #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 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.