Compare towns
Sheffield vs Acton vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($409k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Salisbury has the most renters (31.8% rent).
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 | Sheffield | Acton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,330Lowest |
24,155Highest |
4,224 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.2±8Highest 24% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
44.2±9.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Sheffield and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Acton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±4.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Acton and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,120±$31kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$158,230±$14kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$124,256±$26k 54% above U.S. |
| Acton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,400±$32kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$763,700±$121k 130% above U.S. |
| Acton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,837±$1kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,846±$736 31% above U.S. |
| Acton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,520Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,125 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.2%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Acton and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Acton 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 | #250 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #19 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Southern Berkshire | Acton-Boxborough | Salisbury School District |
| High school in town | Mt Everett Regional | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.