Compare towns
Arundel vs Danvers vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arundel has the most affordable homes ($421k median).
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% 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 | Arundel | Danvers | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,418Lowest |
28,098 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±6.4 5% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Danvers and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Arundel and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,597±$17k 26% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $421,300±$62kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$495Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,763Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Danvers 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 | #7 of 133 in ME | #91 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 21 | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Salem |
| High school in town | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.