Compare towns
Newburyport 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
Newburyport has the most expensive homes ($834k median).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
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 | Newburyport | Salisbury | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,652Highest |
9,281 |
5,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5% MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.8±2.9Lowest 25% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
51±6.9 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 | 19.9%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5Highest 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 | $139,625±$21kHighest 34% above MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
$92,469±$7kLowest 11% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $834,000±$37kHighest 48% above MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$465,900±$31kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,592±$221Lowest 10% below MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average |
| Salisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,944Highest 33% above MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
$4,561Lowest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±9.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2 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 | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 8% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 28.9%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Newburyport 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 | #56 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Newburyport | Triton | — |
| High school in town | Newburyport High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
— | — |
| 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.