Compare towns
Ossian vs Salisbury vs Burns
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ossian has the most people working from home (10.4%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Burns has the most affordable homes ($101k 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 | Ossian | Salisbury | Burns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 689Lowest |
1,200Highest |
888 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.3±13.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5 30% above U.S. |
43.9±7.1Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Ossian and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Burns and Ossian are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.8%±8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.4%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossian and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Burns and Ossian are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,738±$6k 11% below U.S. |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$64,491±$6kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $172,700±$43k 48% below U.S. |
$306,900±$51kHighest 8% below U.S. |
$100,800±$18kLowest 70% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$302Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$942±$139 33% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,366 40% above U.S. |
$4,842Highest 55% above U.S. |
$2,783Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±48.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossian and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.4%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ossian and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.