What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the most homeowners (69.2%).

Framingham has the most kids (21.7% under 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Danvers	Framingham
People
Population	28,098Lowest	72,399Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA	37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	48.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA	$107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA	$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA
	Danvers and Framingham 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	$2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA
	Danvers and Framingham 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	$6,884Highest 15% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Framingham 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%	10.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	30 minHighest 4% above MA
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Framingham 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	#229 of 282 in MA
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	Framingham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	12.7Lowest
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.