What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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	Boylston
People
Population	28,098Highest	4,948Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA
	Boylston and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%	18%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Boylston 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%	22%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Danvers and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Danvers and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA	$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA
	Boylston and Danvers 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	$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average
	Danvers and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA	$2,032±$350Lowest 15% above MA
	Danvers and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Lowest 11% above MA	$7,266Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Danvers and Boylston 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%	6.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest about the MA average	27 minLowest 8% below MA
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Boylston and Danvers 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	#72 of 282 in MA
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Berlin-Boylston
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	Tahanto Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.1Lowest
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.