Compare towns
Danvers vs Woburn 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 most homeowners (69.2%).
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($543k median).
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 | Woburn | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Lowest |
41,939 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Woburn 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% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Danvers and Woburn 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 |
$673,500±$17kHighest 20% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
| Woburn and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA |
| Woburn and Danvers 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 |
$5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Woburn 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 MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest 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 | #169 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Woburn | Salem |
| High school in town | — | Woburn High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.