Compare towns
Tisbury vs Merrimac vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Tisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.9%).
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($479k 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 | Tisbury | Merrimac | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,893Lowest |
6,748 |
9,281Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +21.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.9±5.7Highest 32% above MA |
49.4±6.8Lowest 24% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
| Tisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Merrimac and Tisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.1%±7.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,113±$5kLowest 29% below MA |
$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $993,600±$141kHighest 77% above MA |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $690±$683Lowest 61% below MA |
$1,352±$325 23% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,721Highest 29% above MA |
$7,399 23% above MA |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.9%±82.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Tisbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 29% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.6%±10.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Tisbury 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 | #127 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Tisbury | Pentucket | Triton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.