Compare towns
Salisbury vs Ware vs Essex
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 people working from home (28%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Essex has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
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 | Ware | Essex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,224Lowest |
10,048Highest |
6,794 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.2±9.9 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
52.4±3.6Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Essex and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.4%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Essex and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,256±$26kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$104,395±$7k 29% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $763,700±$121kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$552,000±$53k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,846±$736Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,623±$326 15% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,125 64% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,678Highest 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.2%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±9.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Essex 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 | #19 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #33 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Salisbury School District | Ware | Essex School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.