Compare towns
Danvers vs Sunderland vs Salem
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).
Sunderland has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Sunderland is a college town. 25.5% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Sunderland | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
3,641Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
9%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Danvers and Salem 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% |
16.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% MA: 47.3% |
62.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$458,100±$52kLowest 19% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,672±$151Lowest 5% below MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above 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 |
$5,611Lowest 6% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland 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 MA: 10% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
49.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
17 minLowest 41% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest 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 | #220 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Sunderland | Salem |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.