Compare towns
Middleton vs Oakham 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).
Oakham has the most affordable homes ($420k median).
Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Oakham | Danvers | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
1,639Lowest |
28,098Highest |
8,193 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
42.7±2.9Lowest 7% above MA |
| Oakham 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% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dighton and Oakham 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% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Oakham 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% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dighton 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 |
$102,000±$20kLowest about the MA average |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
| Middleton and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$420,100±$20kLowest 25% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$501,900±$47k 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,405±$192 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$6,452 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Oakham 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% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 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 |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — | #91 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Quabbin | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | None 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.