Compare towns
Danvers vs Dover 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
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Dover has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
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 | Danvers | Dover | Ogunquit | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
33,364 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Danvers and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 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 | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% 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 | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest 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 | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 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 | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #64 of 120 in NH | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dover School District | — | Salem |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
— | 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.