Compare towns
Danvers vs Cornwall vs Middleton 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
Cornwall has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Cornwall | Middleton | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
1,208Lowest |
9,816 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6Highest 30% above U.S. |
43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Cornwall 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cornwall and Danvers 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% |
25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
$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 | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$6,726 116% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Salem 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 | — | #71 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Middleton | Salem |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | None in town | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.