Compare towns
Middleton vs Natick vs Danvers 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 highest household income ($167k).
Natick has the most people working from home (25.1%).
Danvers has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Dighton has the most affordable homes ($502k 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 | Natick | Danvers | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
36,873Highest |
28,098 |
8,193Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
42.7±2.9Lowest 7% above MA |
| Danvers and Natick 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% |
21.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Natick and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Natick 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% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Natick 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±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$138,538±$11k 33% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
| Middleton and Natick 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 |
$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
| Natick 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 |
$8,914Highest 49% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$6,452Lowest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Natick | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | None in town | Natick High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
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.