Compare towns
Danvers vs West Boylston 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 highest household income ($125k).
West Boylston has the most affordable homes ($440k 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 | West Boylston | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
7,782Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
45.5±2.7Highest 14% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| West Boylston and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Danvers and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
25.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| West Boylston 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 MA: 47.3% |
41.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$104,551±$12k about the MA average |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Danvers and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$440,000±$24kLowest 22% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,261±$154Lowest 28% below MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above 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 |
$6,115 about the MA average |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Danvers 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% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
77.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±4.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest 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 | #97 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | West Boylston | Salem |
| High school in town | — | West Boylston Junior/Senior High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.