Compare towns
Danvers vs Mendon vs Strafford 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 most renters (30.8% rent).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Mendon | Strafford | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford 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% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford 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% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford 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. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Danvers 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 | — | — | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | Strafford School District | 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 |
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.