What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).

Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).

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	Merrimac
People
Population	9,281Highest	6,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA	49.4±6.8Lowest 24% above MA
	Salisbury and Merrimac 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%	16.5%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Merrimac and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9%
	Merrimac 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%Highest MA: 47.3%	41%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Salisbury and Merrimac 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	$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA	$553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA	$1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA
	Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,604Lowest 23% below MA	$7,399Highest 23% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8%	59.3%±29.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Lowest MA: 10%	9.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	81.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Lowest 16 yrs newer than MA	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	32 minHighest 10% above MA
Work from home	19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6%	8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#240 of 282 in MA	#188 of 282 in MA
School district	Triton	Pentucket
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.