Compare towns
Danvers vs Sterling vs Stoughton
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 people working from home (19.3%).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Stoughton has the oldest population (median age 45.7).
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 | Sterling | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
3,629Lowest |
29,225Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.7±1.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Stoughton 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Stoughton 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. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$104,794±$6k 30% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$523,800±$28k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
— | $2,050±$200Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,215 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.4%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Stoughton 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Sterling School District | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
| 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.