What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).

Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Danvers	Bolton
People
Population	28,098Highest	5,737Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA	41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA
	Danvers and Bolton 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%	25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Danvers and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA	$205,449±$31kHighest 98% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA	$796,000±$49kHighest 42% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA	$1,583±$1kLowest 10% below MA
	Danvers and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Lowest 11% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%	12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Danvers and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Highest MA: 10%	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	37 minHighest 26% above MA
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#91 of 282 in MA	#28 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Nashoba
High school in town	—	Nashoba Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.0
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.