Compare towns
Danvers vs Middleton vs Plainfield
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 people working from home (19.3%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Middleton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
9,816Lowest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Danvers and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Danvers and Plainfield 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Middleton 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 | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Middleton | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.