Compare towns
Wenham vs Lancaster 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 highest household income ($195k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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.
| Measure | Wenham | Lancaster | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,929Lowest |
8,606 |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Danvers and Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $194,781±$33kHighest 87% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $885,400±$48kHighest 58% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$2,076±$192Lowest 18% above MA |
| Lancaster and Danvers 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 |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±20.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 3 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 29.4%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Wenham 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hamilton-Wenham | Nashoba | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.