Compare towns
Danvers vs Middleton vs Stow
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 the most homeowners (92.7%).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
9,816 |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Danvers and Stow 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow 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 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Stow 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Stow and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
| Middleton and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Danvers and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Danvers 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% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% 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 |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Middleton | Nashoba |
| 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 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.