What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Marlborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).

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	Marlborough
People
Population	28,098Lowest	41,647Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA	37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.8%±2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Marlborough 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%	14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Marlborough 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	$91,968±$9kLowest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA	$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA	$1,871±$123Lowest 6% above MA
	Danvers and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Highest 11% above MA	$5,747Lowest 4% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Marlborough and Danvers 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%	9.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	56%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	30 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Danvers and Marlborough 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	#215 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough
High school in town	—	Assabet Valley Vocational High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.1
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.