Compare towns
Danvers vs Lee vs Needham 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 renters (30.8% rent).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Middleton has the most homeowners (92.7%).
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 | Lee | Needham | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
5,719Lowest |
32,459Highest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% MA: 47.3% |
44.1% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Lee 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 |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$1,375±$212Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
| Needham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 11% above MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lee and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Lee | — | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Lee Middle/High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.2Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 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.