Compare towns
Danvers vs Marblehead vs Wenham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Marblehead has the most kids (22.3% under 18).
Wenham has the youngest population (median age 29.3).
Wenham is a college town. 27.8% 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 | Marblehead | Wenham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
20,413 |
4,929Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
| Marblehead 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% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Wenham 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% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
70.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$194,781±$33kHighest 87% above MA |
| Wenham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$885,400±$48k 58% above MA |
| Marblehead and Wenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
— |
| Danvers and Marblehead 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 |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.3%±20.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead and Danvers 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% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1961 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Wenham 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #74 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.