Compare towns
Middleborough vs Danvers vs Upton vs Saugus
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleborough has the most affordable homes ($469k median).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Saugus has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Middleborough | Danvers | Upton | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,505 |
28,098 |
8,189Lowest |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
| Upton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32% MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,056±$7kLowest 7% below MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
| Upton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,706±$72 3% below MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
| Saugus and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,023Lowest about the MA average |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,049 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Middleborough and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.9% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #170 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleborough | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Saugus |
| High school in town | Middleborough High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Blackstone Valley | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
12.8 |
11.2Lowest |
15.5Highest |
| 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.