Compare towns
Temple vs Salem 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
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Temple | Salem | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363Lowest |
44,795Highest |
28,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
| Temple and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Danvers and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15k 17% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% 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 | $6,983Highest 124% above U.S. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Salem | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.