Compare towns
Danvers vs Peabody vs Reading vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
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 | Peabody | Reading | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
54,695Highest |
699Lowest |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Reading and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Peabody 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Peabody | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Salem |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.3 |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.