Compare towns
Eliot vs Danvers vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Eliot | Danvers | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
28,098 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Danvers and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #91 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Salem |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.