Compare towns
Danvers vs Lancaster vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Lancaster | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
| Danvers and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Danvers and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Middleton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| Lancaster and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster 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 MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Middleton |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.