What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).

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	Bourne
People
Population	28,098Highest	20,323Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Danvers and Bourne 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%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	46%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne 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	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA	$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA	$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Highest 11% above MA	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne 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%	6.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest about the MA average	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Danvers and Bourne 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	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.