Compare towns
Sheffield vs Ware 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 homeowners (82.3%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Ware | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,330Lowest |
10,048Highest |
4,224 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.2±8Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.2±9.9 14% above U.S. |
| Sheffield and Salisbury 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±4.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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±$31k 14% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$124,256±$26kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,400±$32k 23% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$763,700±$121kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,837±$1k 30% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$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 | $4,520 45% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,125Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.2%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #250 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #19 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Southern Berkshire | Ware | Salisbury School District |
| High school in town | Mt Everett Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| 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.