Compare towns
Danvers vs Fall River vs Lawrence vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Fall River | Lawrence | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Lowest |
94,082Highest |
88,736 |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
| Danvers and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
49.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
26 min 11% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salem 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | Salem |
| High school in town | — | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
13.6Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.