Compare towns
Beverly vs Danvers vs Melrose
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the most renters (39.9% rent).
Danvers has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
28,098Lowest |
29,650 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
| Danvers and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Melrose and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$133,953±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Melrose and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
| Danvers and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 14% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,578Highest 26% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #144 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Melrose |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.