Compare towns
Plainville vs Salisbury vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
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 | Plainville | Salisbury | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943Highest |
9,281 |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
49.7±2.8 24% above MA |
| Salisbury and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Plainville and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,106±$13k about the MA average |
$93,361±$6kLowest 10% below MA |
$121,336±$12kHighest 17% above MA |
| Berlin and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,977±$197 12% above MA |
$1,691±$411Lowest 4% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Berlin and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,329 11% below MA |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
$7,116Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | Triton | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | None 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.