Compare towns
Danvers vs Northbridge vs Meredith
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).
Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Northbridge | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
16,458 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest 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. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% 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. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Northbridge | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Northbridge High | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.8Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.