Compare towns
Salem vs Dover
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 affordable homes ($543k median).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
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 | Dover |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
2,308Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
47.5±4Highest 19% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Salem and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
83.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.4%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$1,308,300±$149kHighest 133% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dover 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% |
3.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
37.4%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | — |
| High school in town | Salem High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.