Compare towns
Danvers vs Reading vs Mansfield 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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Mansfield has the most affordable homes ($604k median).
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 | Reading | Mansfield | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
25,612 |
23,931 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
| Danvers and Reading 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Mansfield 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% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
51.1% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$10k 21% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$125,273±$15kLowest 21% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Middleton and Reading 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 |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$603,500±$28kLowest 7% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| Reading and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,803±$147 about the MA average |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| Danvers and Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,226 21% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Mansfield 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 6% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Reading | Mansfield | Middleton |
| High school in town | — | Reading Memorial High | Mansfield High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.