Compare towns
Danvers vs Swampscott 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 affordable homes ($644k median).
Swampscott has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Swampscott | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
15,277 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
| Danvers and Swampscott 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% |
20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Swampscott 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% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Swampscott 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% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Swampscott 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±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Middleton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| Swampscott and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| Swampscott 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 |
$7,936 32% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Swampscott 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 | #76 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Middleton |
| High school 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.