Compare towns
Hamilton vs Danvers vs Harvard vs Wenham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hamilton has the most kids (24% under 18).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Wenham has the youngest population (median age 29.3).
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.
| Measure | Hamilton | Danvers | Harvard | Wenham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,600 |
28,098Highest |
6,927 |
4,929Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±2.1 9% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
| Danvers and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Hamilton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±3.8 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.8% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $129,833±$14k 25% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$194,781±$33k 87% above MA |
| Harvard and Wenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $720,000±$36k 28% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$833,600±$54k 48% above MA |
$885,400±$48kHighest 58% above MA |
| Wenham and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,794±$394 about the MA average |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
— |
| Danvers and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±23.6 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.3%±20.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Hamilton 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% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1961 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.3%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #74 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hamilton-Wenham | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Harvard | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | The Bromfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
12.8Highest |
11.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.