Compare towns
Salisbury vs Alford vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the most renters (28.8% rent).
Alford has the most expensive homes ($794k median).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Alford | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,281Highest |
433Lowest |
5,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.3±3.5Lowest 28% above MA |
63.1±2.4Highest 58% above MA |
51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
5.1%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Deerfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
43%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
63.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3%±3.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,361±$6kLowest 10% below MA |
$121,042±$11kHighest 16% above MA |
$106,136±$14k about the MA average |
| Alford and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$794,400±$144kHighest 41% above MA |
$414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,691±$411 4% below MA |
$1,750±$1kHighest about the MA average |
$1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
| Alford and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,604 23% below MA |
$3,913Lowest 35% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 5% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% below MA |
26 min 12% below MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Alford 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | — | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | — | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| 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.