Compare towns
Northbridge vs Danvers vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
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 | Northbridge | Danvers | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Lowest |
28,098 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Danvers and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Danvers and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above 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 | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | — | Salem |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.