Compare towns
Danvers vs Hanover 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 most affordable homes ($644k median).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
11,685 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
| 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%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Hanover 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% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kLowest 55% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29k 107% above U.S. |
| Hanover 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±$23kLowest 94% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48k 123% above U.S. |
| Hanover 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 47% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hanover and Danvers 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,785 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Danvers 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% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% 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. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| 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.