Compare towns
Canton vs Danvers vs Sutton vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Shrewsbury has the youngest population (median age 40.6).
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 | Canton | Danvers | Sutton | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
28,098 |
9,452Lowest |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Danvers and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
65.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
| Sutton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$592,300±$20k 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,116±$98 20% above MA |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$6,923Highest 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton 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% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Sutton | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Canton High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Sutton High School | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.8 |
12.6Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| 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.