Compare towns
Salisbury vs Ogunquit vs Deerfield vs Merrimac
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the most renters (28.8% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Merrimac has the most kids (16.5% 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 | Ogunquit | Deerfield | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,281Highest |
1,379Lowest |
5,158 |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.3±3.5 32% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
51.8±3.6 33% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.2%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deerfield 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±$6kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$106,136±$14k 31% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $478,700±$27k 44% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$414,900±$37kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
— | $1,334±$318Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,352±$325 4% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,604 48% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,824 87% above U.S. |
$7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.1%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #240 of 282 in MA | — | #156 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | — | Deerfield · Frontier | Pentucket |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Frontier Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.