Compare towns
Salisbury vs Lunenburg vs Cornish
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 people working from home (23.3%).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
Cornish has the shortest commute (24 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 | Lunenburg | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,609Lowest |
11,902Highest |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1Lowest 11% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lunenburg and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lunenburg and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
$112,828±$11kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
$463,900±$24kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$632 36% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,859 88% above U.S. |
$6,401Highest 105% above U.S. |
$5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lunenburg and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Lunenburg 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 | — | #87 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | Lunenburg | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Lunenburg High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.