Compare towns
Middleton vs Acton vs Danvers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the most homeowners (92.7%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Danvers has the most affordable homes ($644k 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 | Middleton | Acton | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,816Lowest |
24,155 |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Danvers and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
| Middleton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
| Acton and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| Danvers and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Acton-Boxborough | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.