Compare towns
Danvers vs Salem vs Smithfield
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).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
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 | Salem | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
44,795Highest |
22,233Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Danvers and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Smithfield 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% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kLowest 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| 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 113% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$5,207Lowest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Salem | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Salem High | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.