Compare towns
Peabody vs Wareham 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
Peabody has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
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 | Peabody | Wareham | Danvers | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
23,302Lowest |
28,098 |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
| Danvers and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065 15% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Wareham | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Salem |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Wareham Senior High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
8.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.