Compare towns
Deerfield vs Danvers vs Dalton vs Conway
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Conway has the most people working from home (29.1%).
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 | Deerfield | Danvers | Dalton | Conway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,158 |
28,098Highest |
6,256 |
1,755Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.3% MA: +7.4% |
-7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
55.6±3Highest 39% above MA |
| Conway and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
31.9%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Conway and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.6%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$97,250±$11k 6% below MA |
| Danvers and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$395,900±$25k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318 24% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,800±$990 about the MA average |
| Danvers and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,797 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19 MA: 51.8% |
23.9%±33.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
22 min 24% below MA |
24 min 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Conway 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | — | Central Berkshire | Conway |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | — | Wahconah Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 10.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.