Compare towns
Salem vs Gray vs Beverly vs Danvers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Beverly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
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 | Gray | Beverly | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
8,429Lowest |
42,665 |
28,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$106,044±$7k 31% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$650,300±$13kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
| Beverly and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,771±$106 25% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114 96% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,836Highest 119% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
60.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Beverly and Salem 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #144 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Beverly | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Salem High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Beverly High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.5 |
12.2 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.