Compare towns
Danvers vs Middleton vs Plainfield
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).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($309k 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 |
9,816 |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
| Plainfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Danvers 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% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 21% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 11% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 3% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield 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 | Middleton | — |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.