Compare towns
Beverly vs Danvers vs Dover vs Wenham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Danvers has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
Dover has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Wenham has the highest household income ($195k).
Wenham is a college town. 27.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Beverly | Danvers | Dover | Wenham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
28,098 |
33,364 |
4,929Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8 about the U.S. average |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
29.3±9.3Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wenham and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
27.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7k 31% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$194,781±$33kHighest 141% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 95% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$885,400±$48kHighest 166% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 25% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 119% above U.S. |
$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±20.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Beverly and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wenham and Beverly 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #64 of 120 in NH | #74 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dover School District | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.