The Town FilesWenham, Massachusetts
Town in Essex County · population 4,979 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $885,400
- Household income
- $194,781
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 29.3
Wenham is a town of 4,979 people in Essex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $885,400, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for young professionals than 100% of Massachusetts towns, more of a college town than 99% of Massachusetts towns, better transit than 94% of Massachusetts towns.
How Wenham ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Wenham is worth $885,400, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $194,781, which is more affordable than 54% of Massachusetts towns. 85.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wenham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $885,400 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | — | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $194,781 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 85.7% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wenham
| People | Wenham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.3 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.6% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.8% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 2.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 29.4% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.7% | 93.9% |
Weather in Wenham
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 19.7°F. About 44.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.4 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wenham since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 25, 1958 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 10, 1965.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on August 28, 1965.
Severe weather in Essex County since 1996
Essex County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 25, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Essex County
Essex County had 323,694 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $75,548 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Wenham itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Wenham
2 public schools with 590 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winthrop School | PK-5 | 331 | 12.3 |
| Bessie Buker Elementary | K-5 | 259 | 13.6 |
Towns near Wenham
- Hamilton, MA2.2 mi · 7,561 people · home $720,000
- Beverly, MA3.6 mi · 42,670 people · home $650,300
- Danvers, MA3.9 mi · 28,087 people · home $644,200
- Topsfield, MA4.2 mi · 6,569 people · home $853,400
- Topsfield, MA4.5 mi · 2,864 people · home $836,600
- Ipswich, MA6.0 mi · 4,370 people · home $598,400
- Essex, MA6.3 mi · 3,675 people · home $897,400
- Middleton, MA6.3 mi · 9,779 people · home $742,700
Wenham questions
Is Wenham, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wenham scores better for retirees than 67% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 17%. 14.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.3).
How much does a house cost in Wenham?
The median owner-occupied home in Wenham is valued at $885,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $194,781, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Wenham?
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 19.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.9 inches of precipitation a year and 51.4 inches of snow.
Does Wenham get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wenham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 25, 1958. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)