Compare towns
Danvers vs Devens 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 expensive homes ($644k median).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Devens | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
1,723Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Devens 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% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Danvers and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Devens and Danvers 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 |
$556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
| Danvers and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,500±$539Lowest 15% 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 |
$5,556Lowest 7% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens 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% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
79.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Devens 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | Salem |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 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.