Compare towns
Danvers vs Peabody vs Woonsocket 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).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Peabody | Woonsocket | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Lowest |
54,695Highest |
43,521 |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody 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% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Peabody 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. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody 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% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Peabody | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Salem |
| High school in town | — | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Woonsocket High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
15.2Highest |
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.