Compare towns
Danvers vs Durham vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Durham has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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.
| Measure | Danvers | Durham | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
10,681Lowest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
20.8±0.3 47% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Durham 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. |
$498,000±$45kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,302±$211Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Durham 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% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.