Compare towns
Danvers vs Salem vs Worcester
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 highest household income ($125k).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Salem | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Lowest |
44,795 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Worcester and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
| Danvers and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Worcester 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% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Salem | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | — | Salem High | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.