Compare towns
Danvers vs Merrimac 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 most expensive homes ($644k median).
Merrimac has the most homeowners (81.3%).
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 | Merrimac | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
6,748Lowest |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
49.4±6.8 24% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
| Salisbury and Merrimac 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% |
16.5%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Danvers and Merrimac 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% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury and Danvers 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 21% above MA |
$123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
$93,361±$6kLowest 10% below MA |
| Danvers and Merrimac 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 |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,352±$325Lowest 23% 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 | $6,654 11% above MA |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Merrimac 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% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Pentucket | Triton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
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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.