Compare towns
Danvers vs West Newbury vs Middleton
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).
West Newbury has the most people working from home (24.5%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | West Newbury | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
4,591Lowest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
49.5±3Highest 24% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
| West Newbury 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% |
19.6%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| West Newbury and Danvers 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% |
21.3%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and West Newbury 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% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Danvers and West Newbury 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 21% above MA |
$179,500±$27kHighest 73% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
| West Newbury and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$808,200±$47kHighest 44% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| West Newbury and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,675±$674 5% below MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| Danvers and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$9,240Highest 54% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
80.4%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| West Newbury 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% |
1.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
92.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1983 19 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
24.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| West Newbury 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 | #86 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Pentucket | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Pentucket Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.