Compare towns
Danvers vs Meredith 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).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($480k median).
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 | Meredith | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
6,758Lowest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danvers and Middleton 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. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Danvers and Meredith 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% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.