Compare towns
Salem vs Danvers vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Danvers has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Salem | Danvers | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
28,098Lowest |
32,459 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Danvers and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Needham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Needham |
| High school in town | Salem High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.