Compare towns
Danvers vs Otisfield 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).
Otisfield has the most affordable homes ($317k median).
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 | Otisfield | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
1,951Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
56.8±4.8Highest 46% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Danvers and Otisfield 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% |
23.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Otisfield 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$84,271±$15kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$317,200±$35kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,300±$872Lowest 8% 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 | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$2,652Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
77.3%±92.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Otisfield 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% |
10.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | 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 |
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.