Compare towns
Danvers vs Wayne vs Salem vs Middleton
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Wayne | Salem | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
1,101Lowest |
44,795Highest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
| Danvers and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | RSU 38 | Salem | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 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.