Compare towns
Danvers vs Middleton vs Salem vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the most homeowners (92.7%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Middleton | Salem | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
9,816Lowest |
44,795 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Peabody 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 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
| Danvers and Peabody 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 |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Middleton | Salem | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | Salem High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.