What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).

Ashford has the most affordable homes ($335k 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	Ashford
People
Population	28,098Highest	4,226Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S.	37.9±10.3Lowest about the U.S. average
	Danvers and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.5%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Ashford 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 U.S.: 17.2%	18.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Danvers and Ashford 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 U.S.: 35.7%	35.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Ashford 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 55% above U.S.	$121,926±$23kLowest 51% above U.S.
	Danvers and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S.	$334,800±$18kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S.	$1,246±$208Lowest 12% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S.	$6,982Highest 124% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	47%±26Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Danvers and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	76.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 8% above U.S.	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.
Work from home	19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1%	19.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#91 of 282 in MA	#90 of 149 in CT
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Ashford School District
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.