Compare towns
Upton vs Danvers vs Wakefield vs Milford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Danvers has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Milford has the most affordable homes ($477k 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 | Upton | Danvers | Wakefield | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
28,098 |
27,793 |
30,431Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
38.9±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$96,365±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
| Upton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$476,700±$12kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,909±$137 8% above MA |
| Danvers and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$5,869Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Milford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
7.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
65.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 14% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Milford |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Milford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.9 |
| 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.