Compare towns
Danvers vs Meredith vs Northbridge
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 expensive homes ($644k median).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
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 | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
6,758Lowest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge 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% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge 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±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest 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 | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Inter-Lakes High School | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.1 |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.