Compare towns
Brewer vs Danvers vs Ogunquit 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
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Brewer | Danvers | Ogunquit | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
28,098 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below 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 | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | #91 of 282 in MA | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | — | — | Salem |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | — | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | — | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.