What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

Kingston has the most affordable homes ($493k 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.

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

Measure	Danvers	Kingston
People
Population	28,098Highest	6,275Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S.	55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Danvers and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.7%±6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Kingston 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Danvers and Kingston 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.	$105,330±$12kLowest 30% above U.S.
	Danvers and Kingston 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.	$492,900±$58kLowest 48% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S.	$1,393±$156Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S.	$7,906Highest 153% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.9%±46.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Danvers and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	74.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 8% above U.S.	34 minHighest 29% above U.S.
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Danvers and Kingston 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	#78 of 120 in NH
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Sanborn Regional School District
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	Sanborn Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	12.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.