What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k median).

Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).

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	Auburn	Danvers
People
Population	16,970Lowest	28,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.8±1.6Lowest 12% above MA	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA
	Danvers and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Auburn and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Danvers and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	48.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Auburn and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA	$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA
	Danvers and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,289Lowest 12% below MA	$6,654Highest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%	48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Auburn and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Highest MA: 10%	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963 1 yr older than MA	1963 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 12% below MA	28 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Danvers and Auburn 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	#106 of 282 in MA	#91 of 282 in MA
School district	Auburn	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town	Auburn Senior High	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.