Compare towns
Danvers vs Gray vs Hampden
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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% 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.
| Measure | Danvers | Gray | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
8,429 |
7,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Gray 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% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Hampden 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. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Hampden 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. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.