Compare towns
Brewer vs Danvers vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Hampden has the most homeowners (85.7%).
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.
| Measure | Brewer | Danvers | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652 |
28,098Highest |
7,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,286±$317 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #91 of 282 in MA | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
12.8Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.