Compare towns
Framingham vs Ogunquit 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
Framingham has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($543k 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 | Framingham | Ogunquit | Danvers | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
1,379Lowest |
28,098 |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 33% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kLowest 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 44% above U.S. |
— | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Highest 121% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | — | #91 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | — | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Salem |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | — | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | 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.