Compare towns
Middleton vs Salisbury vs Danvers vs Hanson
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).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
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 | Salisbury | Danvers | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
9,281Lowest |
28,098Highest |
10,660 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA |
| Salisbury and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Middleton 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% |
25.5%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury 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% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury 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 61% above MA |
$93,361±$6kLowest 10% below MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
| 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 32% above MA |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,821±$860 3% 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 |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$6,402 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Salisbury 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%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Danvers 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Triton | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.