What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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	Boylston	Danvers
People
Population	4,948Lowest	28,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA
	Boylston and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4%	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Boylston and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Danvers and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Danvers and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA	$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA
	Boylston and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA
	Danvers and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Lowest 15% above MA	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA
	Danvers and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Highest 21% above MA	$6,654Lowest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Danvers and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest MA: 10%	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 8% below MA	28 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Boylston 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	#72 of 282 in MA	#91 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.