Compare towns
Danvers vs Mansfield vs Nelson
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Mansfield | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
23,931 |
648Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.4±1.3Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Nelson 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% |
22.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mansfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$125,273±$15k 55% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23kLowest 24% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$603,500±$28k 81% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Danvers and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,803±$147 28% above U.S. |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Danvers and Mansfield 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. |
$7,226Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,575Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Danvers and Nelson 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Mansfield | Nelson School District |
| High school in town | — | Mansfield High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.