Compare towns
Whately vs Danvers vs Hatfield vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Whately | Danvers | Hatfield | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,499Lowest |
28,098Highest |
3,325 |
5,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±6.7 23% above MA |
45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
46.8±5 17% above MA |
51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
| Deerfield and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Danvers and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
48.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA |
$106,136±$14k about the MA average |
| Danvers and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$440,800±$26k 22% below MA |
$414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,267±$216 28% below MA |
$1,334±$318 24% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,027 16% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.7%±29 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8 MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.6% MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 21% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
20 min 30% below MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Danvers 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 | — | #91 of 282 in MA | #198 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whately | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Hatfield | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Smith Academy | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
6.1Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.