What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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	Bow	Danvers
People
Population	8,335Lowest	28,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S.
	Danvers and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%	17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.	$125,395±$10kLowest 55% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.	$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.	$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.	$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Danvers and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	28 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bow 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	#26 of 120 in NH	#91 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town	Bow High School	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	12.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.