Compare towns
Middleton vs Gray vs Danvers vs Hanson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Hanson has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
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 | Gray | Danvers | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
8,429Lowest |
28,098Highest |
10,660 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
42.8±3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hanson and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Hanson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Hanson 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 107% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$132,200±$10k 64% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$533,900±$36k 60% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,821±$860 29% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$6,402 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Middleton 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #91 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
12.8 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.