Compare towns

Wenham vs Douglas vs Danvers

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wenham has the most people working from home (29.4%).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Wenham is a college town. 27.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureWenhamDouglasDanvers
People
Population
4,929Lowest
9,207
28,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.1%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+6%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+6%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
29.3±9.3Lowest
27% below MA
44±2.6
10% above MA
45.3±3Highest
13% above MA
Danvers and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.9%±3.3
MA: 19.4%
21.2%±3.8Highest
MA: 19.4%
17.2%±2Lowest
MA: 19.4%
Douglas and Wenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.6%±3Lowest
MA: 17.9%
15.4%±3.1
MA: 17.9%
22.6%±2.2Highest
MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
70.8%Highest
MA: 47.3%
41.7%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
48.4%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
27.8%±1.5Highest
MA: 7.9%
5.4%±2.3
MA: 7.9%
4%±1.3Lowest
MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$194,781±$33kHighest
87% above MA
$152,267±$10k
46% above MA
$125,395±$10kLowest
21% above MA
Wenham and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$885,400±$48kHighest
58% above MA
$470,600±$29kLowest
16% below MA
$644,200±$23k
15% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,503±$697Lowest
15% below MA
$2,076±$192Highest
18% above MA
Danvers and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$10,000+Highest
at least 67% above MA
$6,338Lowest
6% above MA
$6,654
11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
43.3%±20.8
MA: 51.8%
33.9%±17.4Lowest
MA: 51.8%
48.8%±8.6Highest
MA: 51.8%
Danvers and Wenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.7%Lowest
MA: 10%
4.8%Highest
MA: 10%
4.8%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
85.7%Highest
MA: 62.5%
83.8%
MA: 62.5%
69.2%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
3 yrs older than MA
1986Highest
22 yrs newer than MA
1963
1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minLowest
5% below MA
34 minHighest
16% above MA
28 min
about the MA average
Work from home
29.4%±5.6Highest
MA: 18.6%
20.9%±4.9
MA: 18.6%
19.3%±3.6Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Wenham and Douglas 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 #74 of 282 in MA #177 of 282 in MA #91 of 282 in MA
School district Hamilton-Wenham Douglas Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town None in town Douglas High School Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school —
7.2Lowest
12.8Highest
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.