Compare towns
Salisbury vs Upton vs Lyndeborough 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 homeowners (96.9%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Upton | Lyndeborough | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,609Lowest |
8,189Highest |
1,616 |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
50±3.2 29% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±1.8 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lyndeborough and Upton 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$116,964±$17k 45% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lyndeborough 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$390,900±$26k 17% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,482±$457 5% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Lyndeborough 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,133 129% above U.S. |
$5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Lyndeborough 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.