Compare towns
Danvers vs Harvard vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Harvard has the highest household income ($214k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
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 | Harvard | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
6,927Lowest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Danvers and Harvard 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% |
21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Harvard and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Danvers and Harvard 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 |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Danvers 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Harvard and Lancaster 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 | #12 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Harvard | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | The Bromfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.