Compare towns
Danvers vs Salem vs Windsor vs Peabody
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k 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 | Windsor | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
44,795 |
3,554Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and Peabody 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% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% 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. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$5,209 67% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Salem | — | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Salem High | — | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— | 10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.