Compare towns
Danvers vs Gray vs Topsham
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 the most homeowners (82.4%).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
8,429Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Topsham 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±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% 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% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest 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% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Topsham 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 | #66 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 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.5 |
12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.