Compare towns
Sheffield vs Hadley 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).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Salisbury has the most expensive homes ($764k median).
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 | Hadley | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,330Lowest |
5,306Highest |
4,224 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.2±8Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.8±7.1 18% above U.S. |
44.2±9.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Sheffield and Hadley 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% |
16.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Hadley 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% |
61.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±4.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hadley 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. |
$119,259±$12k 48% above U.S. |
$124,256±$26kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Hadley 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. |
$511,000±$43k 54% above U.S. |
$763,700±$121kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,837±$1k 30% above U.S. |
$1,402±$132Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,846±$736Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Sheffield 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. |
$5,271Highest 69% above U.S. |
$5,125 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.6%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.2%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hadley 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% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 22% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Hadley 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #19 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Southern Berkshire | Hadley | Salisbury School District |
| High school in town | Mt Everett Regional | Hopkins Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8Highest |
7.3Lowest |
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| 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.