Compare towns
Bath vs Danvers vs Salem vs Brunswick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Brunswick has the most homeowners (71.2%).
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 | Bath | Danvers | Salem | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
28,098 |
44,795Highest |
22,336 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
40±2.8 about the U.S. average |
| Bath and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$74,952±$6k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$376,300±$15k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,469±$99 4% 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 | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$4,756 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Brunswick 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #91 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Salem | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Salem High | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.8 |
9.8Lowest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.