Compare towns
Danvers vs Hudson vs Exeter 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).
Hudson has the most kids (19.3% under 18).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Hudson | Exeter | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
20,077 |
16,151 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Hudson 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% |
20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$103,400±$13kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,406±$82Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
| Danvers and Exeter 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. |
$6,892 121% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$8,785 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.8%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% |
5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Hudson 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 | #224 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Hudson | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Hudson High | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.2Lowest |
12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.