Compare towns
Danvers vs Bath 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).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Bath | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
8,815Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bath 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 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Danvers and Salem 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% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% 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. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Bath 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% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Salem |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Morse High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
14.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.