Compare towns

Bourne vs Danvers vs Salisbury

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bourne has the most homeowners (75.8%).
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).

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.

MeasureBourneDanversSalisbury
People
Population
20,323
28,098Highest
9,281Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.5%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+6%
MA: +7.4%
+11.5%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
52±1.8Highest
30% above MA
45.3±3Lowest
13% above MA
51.3±3.5
28% above MA
Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.7%±2.3
MA: 19.4%
17.2%±2Highest
MA: 19.4%
13.1%±2.9Lowest
MA: 19.4%
Danvers and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
29.8%±3.1Highest
MA: 17.9%
22.6%±2.2Lowest
MA: 17.9%
25.5%±3.5
MA: 17.9%
Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
46%
MA: 47.3%
48.4%Highest
MA: 47.3%
43.8%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.6%±1.6Highest
MA: 7.9%
4%±1.3Lowest
MA: 7.9%
4.9%±1.7
MA: 7.9%
Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,058±$7kLowest
12% below MA
$125,395±$10kHighest
21% above MA
$93,361±$6k
10% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$575,600±$28k
about the MA average
$644,200±$23kHighest
15% above MA
$478,700±$27kLowest
15% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,379±$300Lowest
22% below MA
$2,076±$192Highest
18% above MA
$1,691±$411
4% below MA
Danvers and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,485Lowest
25% below MA
$6,654Highest
11% above MA
$4,604
23% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
62.8%±5.5Highest
MA: 51.8%
48.8%±8.6Lowest
MA: 51.8%
61.9%±11.5
MA: 51.8%
Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.2%Highest
MA: 10%
4.8%Lowest
MA: 10%
5%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
75.8%Highest
MA: 62.5%
69.2%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
71.2%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
11 yrs newer than MA
1963Lowest
1 yr older than MA
1980Highest
16 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 minLowest
11% below MA
28 minHighest
about the MA average
28 min
5% below MA
Work from home
14.9%±3.1Lowest
MA: 18.6%
19.3%±3.6
MA: 18.6%
19.8%±5.8Highest
MA: 18.6%
Salisbury 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 #206 of 282 in MA #91 of 282 in MA #240 of 282 in MA
School district Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers Triton
High school in town Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
9.8Lowest
12.8Highest
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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.