Compare towns
Danvers vs Saugus vs Wakefield
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).
Saugus has the most affordable homes ($603k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Danvers | Saugus | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
28,773Highest |
27,793Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Danvers and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield 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% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Saugus 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% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Wakefield 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 |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Danvers 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 |
$603,400±$13kLowest 7% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Saugus and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 11% above MA |
$6,049Lowest about the MA average |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Saugus and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Danvers 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Saugus | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | Saugus High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.