Compare towns
Danvers vs Putney vs Westminster 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).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Putney | Westminster | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
2,622Lowest |
2,999 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster 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% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% 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. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Putney 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% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest 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. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Salem |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.