Compare towns
Danvers vs Mendon vs Strafford 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 most expensive homes ($644k median).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Mendon | Strafford | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Danvers 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% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Strafford 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. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below 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. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon 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 | — | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Strafford School District | Salem |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.8 |
| 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.