What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).

Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).

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	Lebanon
People
Population	28,098Highest	14,999Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S.	38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22%	14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Danvers and Lebanon 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%	21.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Danvers and Lebanon 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 U.S.: 35.7%	57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lebanon 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±$10kHighest 55% above U.S.	$98,147±$10kLowest 22% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S.	$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S.	$1,744±$132Lowest 23% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S.	$8,149Highest 161% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Danvers and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 8% above U.S.	14 minLowest 47% below U.S.
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Lebanon 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	#29 of 120 in NH
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Lebanon School District
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	Lebanon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.