Compare towns
Danvers vs Wakefield vs Stoughton
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).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Stoughton has the most affordable homes ($524k median).
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 | Wakefield | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
27,793Lowest |
29,225Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
45.7±1.9Highest 14% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield 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 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Stoughton and Wakefield 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 |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$104,794±$6kLowest about the MA average |
| 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 |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$523,800±$28kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,050±$200 16% above MA |
| Danvers and Stoughton 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 |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$6,215Lowest 4% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.4%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
8.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
74.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 14% above MA |
33 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.4%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
10.8 |
| 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.