Compare towns
Danvers vs Needham vs Canton
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 affordable homes ($644k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Needham | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
32,459Highest |
24,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
| Danvers and Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Canton 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Lowest 18% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 11% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| 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.