Compare towns
Middleton vs Marblehead vs Hanson 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Hanson has the most affordable homes ($534k median).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
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 | Marblehead | Hanson | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816Lowest |
20,413 |
10,660 |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
| Marblehead and Danvers 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% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Danvers 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% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson 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±$29k 61% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
| Marblehead and Middleton 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 |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$533,900±$36kLowest 5% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| 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 47% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$6,402Lowest 7% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | — | Whitman-Hanson | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Whitman Hanson Regional | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.