What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($466k median).

Bolton has the highest household income ($205k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Salisbury	Bolton
People
Population	5,656Lowest	5,737Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+15.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	51±6.9Highest 28% above MA	41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA
Kids under 18	12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%	15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Salisbury and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,469±$7kLowest 11% below MA	$205,449±$31kHighest 98% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$465,900±$31kLowest 17% below MA	$796,000±$49kHighest 42% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average	$1,583±$1kLowest 10% below MA
	Salisbury and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,561Lowest 24% below MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.8%±11.2Highest MA: 51.8%	12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Salisbury and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Highest MA: 10%	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA	1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest about the MA average	37 minHighest 26% above MA
Work from home	19.7%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#240 of 282 in MA	#28 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Nashoba
High school in town	—	Nashoba Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.0
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.