Compare towns
Danvers vs Fall River vs Somerset 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 people working from home (19.3%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Somerset has the oldest population (median age 47).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Fall River | Somerset | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
94,082Highest |
18,298 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
47±2.2Highest 18% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
| Somerset 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Fall River and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.3%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Somerset and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Somerset and Fall River 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 |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$418,800±$18k 25% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,271±$93 28% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 11% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,977 17% below MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Somerset and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Middleton 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | B M C Durfee High | Somerset Berkley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.3Lowest |
11.6 |
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| 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.