Compare towns
Bow 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
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
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 | Bow | Danvers | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
28,098 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Danvers and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% 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 | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest 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 | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 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 | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Salem 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Salem |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
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.