What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).

Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k 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.

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

Measure	Salisbury	Pittsfield
People
Population	5,656Lowest	43,457Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	-1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	51±6.9Highest 28% above MA	42.4±2Lowest 6% above MA
	Salisbury and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	17.6%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%	19.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.2%±1.1Highest 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	$92,469±$7kHighest 11% below MA	$70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$465,900±$31kHighest 17% below MA	$256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average	$1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,561Highest 24% below MA	$4,148Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.8%±11.2Highest MA: 51.8%	52.8%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Salisbury and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest MA: 10%	14.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest about the MA average	19 minLowest 36% below MA
Work from home	19.7%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6%	10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#240 of 282 in MA	#251 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Pittsfield
High school in town	—	Taconic High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.3
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.