Compare towns
Danvers vs Scarborough vs Middleton
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 renters (30.8% rent).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Scarborough | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
23,215 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
48.8±2.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Scarborough and Danvers 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% |
16.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scarborough and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Scarborough 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±$10kLowest 55% above U.S. |
$133,558±$21k 65% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$551,900±$39kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,956±$178 38% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Danvers and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$5,978Lowest 92% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±13.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scarborough and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scarborough 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 | #35 of 133 in ME | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Scarborough Public Schools | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Scarborough High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.