Compare towns
Danvers vs Gray vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Danvers | Gray | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
8,429Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Wells 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 55% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Wells 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.