Compare towns

Marblehead vs Danvers vs Duxbury

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Danvers has the most affordable homes ($644k median).
Duxbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

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.

MeasureMarbleheadDanversDuxbury
People
Population
20,413
28,098Highest
16,185Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.2%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+6%
MA: +7.4%
+6.8%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
49.1±2Highest
23% above MA
45.3±3Lowest
13% above MA
47.6±2.3
19% above MA
Marblehead and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22.3%±2.5
MA: 19.4%
17.2%±2Lowest
MA: 19.4%
22.5%±2.8Highest
MA: 19.4%
Duxbury and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22.7%±2.5
MA: 17.9%
22.6%±2.2Lowest
MA: 17.9%
24.5%±3.5Highest
MA: 17.9%
Duxbury and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
78.3%Highest
MA: 47.3%
48.4%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
70.9%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.8%±1Lowest
MA: 7.9%
4%±1.3Highest
MA: 7.9%
3.9%±1.4
MA: 7.9%
Danvers and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$182,132±$28kHighest
75% above MA
$125,395±$10kLowest
21% above MA
$176,583±$29k
70% above MA
Marblehead and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$943,900±$31kHighest
68% above MA
$644,200±$23kLowest
15% above MA
$874,600±$35k
56% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,764±$147
about the MA average
$2,076±$192Highest
18% above MA
$1,591±$2kLowest
10% below MA
Danvers and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,309
39% above MA
$6,654Lowest
11% above MA
$9,518Highest
59% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
49.5%±8.8
MA: 51.8%
48.8%±8.6Lowest
MA: 51.8%
57.8%±31.1Highest
MA: 51.8%
Duxbury and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.4%Lowest
MA: 10%
4.8%
MA: 10%
5.1%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
85.2%
MA: 62.5%
69.2%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
91.2%Highest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1944Lowest
20 yrs older than MA
1963
1 yr older than MA
1976Highest
12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
13% above MA
28 minLowest
about the MA average
33 minHighest
13% above MA
Work from home
34%±3.6Highest
MA: 18.6%
19.3%±3.6Lowest
MA: 18.6%
25.1%±3.8
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #47 of 282 in MA #91 of 282 in MA #32 of 282 in MA
School district Marblehead Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers Duxbury
High school in town Marblehead High Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School Duxbury High
Students per teacherat that high school
10.7
12.8Highest
9.9Lowest
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.