Compare towns
Newton vs Danvers vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newton has the most expensive homes ($1265k median).
Danvers has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
Shrewsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Newton | Danvers | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 89,044Highest |
28,098Lowest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±0.9 5% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Danvers and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±1 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $190,304±$9kHighest 83% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,264,900±$43kHighest 125% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$592,300±$20kLowest 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,370±$81Highest 35% above MA |
$2,076±$192Lowest 18% above MA |
$2,116±$98 20% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$6,923 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.2%±2Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #25 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Newton | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Newton North High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.8 |
14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.