Compare towns
Wenham vs Stow 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 youngest population (median age 29.3).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
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.
| Measure | Wenham | Stow | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,929Lowest |
7,165 |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Danvers and Stow 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.8% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $194,781±$33kHighest 87% above MA |
$185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
| Wenham and Stow 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 |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| Danvers and Stow 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±20.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Danvers 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% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 3 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 29.4%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow 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 | #44 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.