Compare towns

Danvers vs Upton vs Wenham

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 most renters (30.8% rent).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Wenham has the most expensive homes ($885k median).
Wenham is a college town. 27.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureDanversUptonWenham
People
Population
28,098Highest
8,189
4,929Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6%
MA: +7.4%
+6.1%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+2.1%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
45.3±3
13% above MA
46.4±4.8Highest
16% above MA
29.3±9.3Lowest
27% below 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%
23.2%±4.5Highest
MA: 19.4%
18.9%±3.3
MA: 19.4%
Upton and Wenham 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%
20.7%±4.9
MA: 17.9%
14.6%±3Lowest
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%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
53.5%
MA: 47.3%
70.8%Highest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4%±1.3
MA: 7.9%
2.4%±1.3Lowest
MA: 7.9%
27.8%±1.5Highest
MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$125,395±$10kLowest
21% above MA
$155,508±$33k
50% above MA
$194,781±$33kHighest
87% above MA
Wenham 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
$576,700±$41kLowest
about the MA average
$885,400±$48kHighest
58% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,076±$192Highest
18% above MA
$948±$599Lowest
46% below MA
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,654Lowest
11% above MA
$8,376
40% above MA
$10,000+Highest
at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
48.8%±8.6
MA: 51.8%
52.8%±31Highest
MA: 51.8%
43.3%±20.8Lowest
MA: 51.8%
Upton 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
MA: 10%
3.2%Lowest
MA: 10%
3.7%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
69.2%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
86.7%Highest
MA: 62.5%
85.7%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1963
1 yr older than MA
1981Highest
17 yrs newer than MA
1961Lowest
3 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
about the MA average
35 minHighest
22% above MA
28 minLowest
5% below MA
Work from home
19.3%±3.6Lowest
MA: 18.6%
22.8%±5.3
MA: 18.6%
29.4%±5.6Highest
MA: 18.6%
Wenham and Upton 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 #46 of 282 in MA #74 of 282 in MA
School district Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Hamilton-Wenham
High school in town Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School Blackstone Valley None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Highest
11.2Lowest
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On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.