Compare towns
Danvers vs Gorham vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($461k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Danvers | Gorham | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
18,300Lowest |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 47% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Needham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | Needham |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.