Compare towns
Danvers vs Gloucester 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).
Gloucester has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Gloucester | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Lowest |
30,075 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Gloucester 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% |
15.1%±1.6Lowest 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%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$600,600±$18k 7% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,411±$94Lowest 20% 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 |
$6,152 about the MA average |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Gloucester 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% |
9.6% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63.9% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.3Lowest 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 | #164 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Gloucester | Salem |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Gloucester High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.0 |
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.