Compare towns
Danvers vs Maynard vs Wenham 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).
Maynard has the most affordable homes ($527k median).
Wenham has the youngest population (median age 29.3).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Maynard | Wenham | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
10,712 |
4,929Lowest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Wenham and Danvers 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% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% MA: 47.3% |
64.2% MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$124,067±$16kLowest 19% above MA |
$194,781±$33kHighest 87% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
| Wenham 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±$23k 15% above MA |
$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
$885,400±$48kHighest 58% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
— | $1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| Danvers and Maynard 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 |
$8,266 38% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
43.3%±20.8 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
85.7% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1961Lowest 3 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wenham and Maynard 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #74 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | Hamilton-Wenham | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.