What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).

Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amherst	Danvers
People
Population	11,861Lowest	28,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S.	45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S.
	Amherst and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Amherst and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Danvers and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Danvers and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S.	$125,395±$10kLowest 55% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$537,600±$30kLowest 62% above U.S.	$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S.	$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,773Highest 213% above U.S.	$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Danvers and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above U.S.	28 minLowest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 120 in NH	#91 of 282 in MA
School district	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town	Souhegan Coop High School	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.