What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).

Ayer has the most affordable homes ($445k 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	Danvers	Ayer
People
Population	28,098Highest	3,098Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA	42.1±6.9Lowest 5% above MA
	Danvers and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.8%±5.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Ayer and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	15.3%±5.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Danvers and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	37.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Ayer and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA	$74,878±$17kLowest 28% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA	$444,600±$43kLowest 21% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA	$1,240±$169Lowest 30% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Highest 11% above MA	$4,911Lowest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%	46.9%±21.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Danvers and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%	6.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Ayer 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	#91 of 282 in MA	#113 of 282 in MA
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.