Compare towns
Waltham vs Salisbury vs Addison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Addison has the shortest commute (28 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 | Waltham | Salisbury | Addison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,609Highest |
1,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Lowest 32% above U.S. |
53.1±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.1%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Addison and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,500±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$106,667±$7k 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,700±$51kLowest about the U.S. average |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$362,200±$23k 9% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$113Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632 36% above U.S. |
$2,019±$461Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Addison and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,714Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$5,831 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±58.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±62.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Addison and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Merrimack Valley School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.