Compare towns
Danvers vs Upton vs Wakefield vs Salem
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Upton | Wakefield | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
8,189Lowest |
27,793 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Wakefield 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Upton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
| Danvers and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 11% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Salem |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.7 |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.