Compare towns
Pittsfield 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
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (71.2%).
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 | Pittsfield | Salisbury | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,457Highest |
5,656Lowest |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±2Lowest 6% 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 | 17.6%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 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+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA |
$92,469±$7k 11% below MA |
$93,361±$6kHighest 10% below MA |
| Salisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$465,900±$31k 17% below MA |
$478,700±$27kHighest 15% below MA |
| Salisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,134±$61Lowest 36% 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 | $4,148Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,561 24% below MA |
$4,604Highest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±5.7Lowest 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 | 14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
65.5% MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 36% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.2%±2.2Lowest 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 | #251 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pittsfield | — | Triton |
| High school in town | Taconic High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3 |
— | — |
| 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.