Compare towns
Salem vs Peabody vs Danvers
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).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Peabody | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795 |
54,695Highest |
28,098Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 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+ | 17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% 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 | $6,114 about the MA average |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest 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 | 12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Peabody | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Salem High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.3 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.