Compare towns
Salisbury vs Needham vs Seabrook Beach
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($466k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Seabrook Beach has the most people working from home (39.5%).
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 | Salisbury | Needham | Seabrook Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,656 |
32,459Highest |
1,001Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51±6.9 31% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62±3.8Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
42.1%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Salisbury 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 15% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$93,571±$43k 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $465,900±$31kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$920,900±$75k 177% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,770±$444 25% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,725±$575Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,561Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.8%±11.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
90.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Seabrook Beach and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.7%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
39.5%±20Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Seabrook Beach and Needham 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Needham | — |
| High school in town | — | Needham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.