Compare towns
Danvers vs Hadley vs Maynard 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 most expensive homes ($644k median).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Hadley | Maynard | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
5,306Lowest |
10,712 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Hadley and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Danvers and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% MA: 47.3% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Salem 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 21% above MA |
$119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Danvers and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
$527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$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 | $6,654 11% above MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Maynard 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Hadley | Maynard | Salem |
| High school in town | — | Hopkins Academy | Maynard High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.3Lowest |
9.7 |
9.8Highest |
| 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.