Compare towns
Danvers vs Eliot vs Wells
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 most expensive homes ($644k median).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Eliot | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
7,146Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells 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. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Danvers and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Wells 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.