Compare towns
Hanover vs Topsfield vs Pembroke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the most renters (15.5% rent).
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
Pembroke has the most affordable homes ($587k 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 | Hanover | Topsfield | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,845 |
6,564Lowest |
18,382Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA |
42.2±1.8 6% above MA |
45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA |
| Pembroke and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8% MA: 47.3% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Pembroke and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,803±$23k 83% above MA |
$195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
$146,285±$17kLowest 41% above MA |
| Topsfield and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $755,400±$39k 34% above MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
$586,500±$28kLowest 4% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,845±$341 5% above MA |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA |
| Pembroke and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,342 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,585Lowest 10% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42.1%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanover and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Topsfield and Pembroke 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA | #82 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Topsfield | Pembroke |
| High school in town | South Shore Vocational Technical High | None in town | Pembroke High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
| 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.