Compare towns
Salisbury vs Upton vs Wareham vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Amesbury has the youngest population (median age 43.7).
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 | Upton | Wareham | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,281 |
8,189Lowest |
23,302Highest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Upton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Amesbury 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wareham | Amesbury |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Wareham Senior High | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
8.6Lowest |
10.9 |
| 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.