Compare towns
Beverly vs Danvers vs Wakefield vs Woburn
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 youngest population (median age 39).
Danvers has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Wakefield | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
28,098 |
27,793Lowest |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
39.3±1.6 about the MA average |
| Danvers and Wakefield 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%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield 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 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
| Wakefield 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 |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$673,500±$17k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
| Woburn and Danvers 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 |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Woburn |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.