What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).

Hanover has the most kids (26.1% 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	Hanover
People
Population	28,098Highest	14,845Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA	41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA
	Danvers and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%	26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	56.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Hanover 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±$10kLowest 21% above MA	$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA	$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA	$1,845±$341Lowest 5% above MA
	Danvers and Hanover 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	$9,342Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Hanover and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8% MA: 10%	4.8% MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	84.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	32 minHighest 10% above MA
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%
	Hanover 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	#69 of 282 in MA
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	South Shore Vocational Technical High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	10.3Lowest
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.