Compare towns
Danvers vs Dunstable vs Middleton vs Mansfield
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).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Mansfield has the most affordable homes ($604k 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 | Dunstable | Middleton | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
3,408Lowest |
9,816 |
23,931 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
| Danvers and Middleton 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% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Middleton 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% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Mansfield 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 |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$125,273±$15kLowest 21% above MA |
| Dunstable and Middleton 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 |
$674,000±$30k 20% above MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$603,500±$28kLowest 7% above MA |
| Middleton and Dunstable 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 |
$1,325±$637Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,803±$147 about the MA average |
| Danvers and Mansfield 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 |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
$7,226 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Danvers 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% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
92.7% MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1986 22 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 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 |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Groton-Dunstable | Middleton | Mansfield |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | None in town | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 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.