What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).

Merrimac has the most homeowners (81.3%).

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	Merrimac
People
Population	28,098Highest	6,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA	49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA
	Merrimac and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4%	16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Danvers and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9%
	Merrimac and Danvers 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%	41%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Danvers and Merrimac 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	$123,054±$16kLowest 18% above MA
	Danvers and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA	$553,400±$38kLowest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA	$1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Lowest 11% above MA	$7,399Highest 23% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	59.3%±29.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Merrimac 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%	9.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	81.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	32 minHighest 10% above MA
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#91 of 282 in MA	#188 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Pentucket
High school in town	—	None in town
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.