Compare towns
Auburn vs Danvers vs Belchertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Belchertown has the most homeowners (87.1%).
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 | Auburn | Danvers | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970 |
28,098Highest |
15,393Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.9±1.6Lowest 10% above MA |
| Danvers and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA |
| Danvers and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16k 29% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155 17% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,292±$230Lowest 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$5,810 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Belchertown and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Auburn 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 | #106 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.8Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.