Compare towns
Danvers vs Bedford vs Stoughton
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 the most renters (30.8% rent).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
Stoughton has the most affordable homes ($524k median).
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 | Bedford | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
23,746Lowest |
29,225Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.7±1.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Stoughton and Danvers 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% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Stoughton and Bedford 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 55% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$104,794±$6kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
$523,800±$28kLowest 57% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 47% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$2,050±$200Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Danvers 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. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$6,215Lowest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stoughton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.4%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Bedford School District | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Bedford High School | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.5Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.