Compare towns
Bourne vs Danvers vs Salisbury vs Kingston
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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
Kingston has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
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 | Bourne | Danvers | Salisbury | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
28,098Highest |
9,281Lowest |
14,027 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
46.5±3.9 16% 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%±2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Kingston and Danvers 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% |
22.8%±3.7 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% |
48.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$119,876±$13k 15% above MA |
| Danvers and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
$610,600±$30k 9% above MA |
| Danvers and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
$1,159±$244Lowest 34% 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 |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
$7,650Highest 28% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
35.9%±13Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
81.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above 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% |
19.5%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Kingston 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 | #99 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Triton | Kingston · Silver Lake |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | Silver Lake Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | 12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.