Compare towns
Salisbury vs Merrimac 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).
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Merrimac | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,281Highest |
6,748 |
5,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
49.4±6.8Lowest 24% 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% |
16.5%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest 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%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8% MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury 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 |
$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$92,469±$7kLowest 11% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
$465,900±$31kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,691±$411 4% below MA |
$1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average |
| Salisbury 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 |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$4,561Lowest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #240 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 | 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.