Compare towns
Auburn vs Danvers vs South Hadley
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 most kids (21% under 18).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
South Hadley has the most affordable homes ($358k median).
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 | South Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Lowest |
28,098Highest |
17,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
42.6±2.6Lowest 7% 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%±2 MA: 19.4% |
12.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Danvers 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%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| South Hadley and Danvers 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% MA: 47.3% |
50.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$93,910±$15kLowest 10% below 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 |
$357,900±$19kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155 17% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,325±$54Lowest 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$5,500 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
48.7%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Auburn and Danvers 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% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1961Lowest 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
24 minLowest 19% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and South Hadley 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 | #216 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | South Hadley |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | South Hadley High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.