Compare towns
Salisbury vs Bourne vs Amesbury
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 people working from home (19.8%).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Bourne | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,281Lowest |
20,323Highest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne 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±$6k 10% below MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$103,554±$12kHighest about the MA average |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Bourne and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Amesbury 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 |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±11.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Amesbury 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Amesbury |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
10.9Highest |
| 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.