Compare towns
Salisbury vs Needham vs Canton 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Needham | Canton | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,281 |
32,459Highest |
24,748 |
5,158Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
| Deerfield 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Deerfield 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$106,136±$14k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,691±$411 4% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
| Needham and Canton 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #240 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Needham | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | Canton High | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
13.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.