Compare towns
Danvers vs Dover vs Rye vs Middleton
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Dover has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Rye has the most people working from home (30.9%).
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 | Dover | Rye | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
33,364Highest |
5,611Lowest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Rye and Danvers 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover 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 55% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48k 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Danvers and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Danvers and Dover 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #64 of 120 in NH | #2 of 120 in NH | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dover School District | Rye School District | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.