Compare towns
Danvers vs Peterborough vs Thornton
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).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
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 | Peterborough | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
6,408 |
2,799Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4 31% above U.S. |
| Peterborough and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Danvers and Peterborough 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% |
30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thornton 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. |
$98,401±$8k 22% above U.S. |
$90,022±$17kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$404,500±$31k 22% above U.S. |
$351,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,395±$209 about the U.S. average |
$1,270±$428Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
$5,032Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±24.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thornton 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% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thornton 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 | #59 of 120 in NH | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Contoocook Valley School District | Thornton School District |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Conval Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.0Lowest |
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| 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.