Compare towns
Danvers vs Harvard vs Lancaster vs Upton
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 renters (30.8% rent).
Harvard has the highest household income ($214k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Harvard | Lancaster | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
6,927Lowest |
8,606 |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton 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% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Danvers and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Lancaster and Danvers 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Lancaster 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% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Harvard and Lancaster 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 | #12 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Harvard | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | The Bromfield High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.0Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.