Compare towns
Danvers vs Great Barrington vs Salisbury
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).
Great Barrington has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Great Barrington | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
7,202Lowest |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
49.7±4.2 24% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
| Salisbury and Great Barrington 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% |
14.9%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Danvers and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.7%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Great Barrington and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% MA: 47.3% |
49.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$84,132±$11kLowest 19% below MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$494,300±$61k 12% below MA |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,314±$239Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
| Danvers and Salisbury 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 |
$5,935 about the MA average |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.9%±15.2 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Great Barrington 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% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the MA average |
22 minLowest 25% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
23.6%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Great Barrington and Salisbury 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 | #139 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Berkshire Hills | Triton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Monument Mt Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.2Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.