Compare towns
Salisbury vs Dover vs Salisbury
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
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 | Dover | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,281Highest |
5,930 |
5,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
44.9±2.3Lowest 12% above MA |
51±6.9 28% above MA |
| Salisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury 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% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$92,469±$7kLowest 11% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$465,900±$31kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,691±$411Lowest 4% below MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,770±$444 about the MA average |
| Dover 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,561Lowest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #240 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.