Compare towns
Middleton vs Wakefield vs Needham 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 the most homeowners (92.7%).
Wakefield has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Danvers has the most affordable homes ($644k 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 | Wakefield | Needham | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816Lowest |
27,793 |
32,459Highest |
28,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Danvers and Middleton 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% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Wakefield 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% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Wakefield 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 |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
| Needham 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 |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Needham | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Needham High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.9 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.