Compare towns
Danvers vs Saugus vs Wakefield vs Mansfield
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).
Saugus has the most affordable homes ($603k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Mansfield has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Saugus | Wakefield | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
28,773Highest |
27,793 |
23,931Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
| Danvers and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Wakefield 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% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Saugus 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% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
51.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mansfield and Saugus 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 |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
| Wakefield and Danvers 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 |
$603,400±$13kLowest 7% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,803±$147Lowest about the MA average |
| Saugus and Danvers 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 |
$6,049Lowest about the MA average |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$7,226 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Saugus 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% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Mansfield 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 | #194 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Saugus | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Mansfield |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Saugus High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
15.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.