Compare towns
Middleton vs Danvers vs Needham vs Dighton
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%).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
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 | Danvers | Needham | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
28,098 |
32,459Highest |
8,193Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.7±2.9Lowest 7% above MA |
| Danvers and Middleton 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% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
| Needham and Danvers 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 |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,452Lowest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.9Lowest |
| 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.