Compare towns
Danvers vs Salem vs Webster
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).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($333k median).
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 | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
44,795Highest |
12,228Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Webster 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 |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
| 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 11% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Danvers 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% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Salem | — |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Salem High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.