Compare towns
Ashfield vs Danvers vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashfield has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Ashfield | Danvers | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,893Lowest |
28,098Highest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.6±3.4Highest 47% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Danvers and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,600±$30kLowest 29% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$200Lowest 38% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,197Lowest 13% below MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±34Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 24%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashfield 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 | — | #91 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Middleton |
| High school in town | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.