Compare towns
Salisbury vs Suffield vs Wareham vs Great Barrington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
Great Barrington has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Suffield | Wareham | Great Barrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,281 |
15,702 |
23,302Highest |
7,202Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.3±3.5 32% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
49.7±4.2 28% above U.S. |
| Wareham 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Suffield and Great Barrington 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% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Great Barrington and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,361±$6k 16% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
$84,132±$11kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $478,700±$27k 44% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$494,300±$61kHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Great Barrington and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,314±$239Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Wareham 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. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$5,935 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.9%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Great Barrington 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Great Barrington 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #272 of 282 in MA | #139 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Suffield School District | Wareham | Berkshire Hills |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | Wareham Senior High | Monument Mt Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
8.6Lowest |
9.2 |
| 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.