What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Biddeford has the most affordable homes ($397k 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	Biddeford
People
Population	28,098Highest	22,498Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6% U.S.: +7.4%	+6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S.	35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Danvers and Biddeford 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%	17.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S.	$72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S.	$396,600±$25kLowest 19% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S.	$1,292±$100Lowest 9% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Highest 113% above U.S.	$4,401Lowest 41% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Danvers and Biddeford 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%	15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 8% above U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Danvers and Biddeford 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	#111 of 133 in ME
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Biddeford Public Schools
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	Biddeford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	14.1Highest
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.