Compare towns
Middleton vs Peterborough vs Danvers
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%).
Peterborough has the most affordable homes ($379k median).
Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Peterborough | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,816 |
2,539Lowest |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
55.5±9.2Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
| Peterborough and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.1%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danvers and Middleton 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. |
$85,833±$15kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$379,300±$57kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,515±$290 7% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$7,422 138% above U.S. |
$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.9%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Danvers and Peterborough 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Peterborough 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 | #59 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | — | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.