Compare towns
Danvers vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Middleton
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Upton | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
| Upton 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% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Upton 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% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$10k 21% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Middleton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 11% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.