What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Newton has the most expensive homes ($1265k 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	Newton
People
Population	28,098Lowest	89,044Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA	42.1±0.9Lowest 5% above MA
	Danvers and Newton 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%	20.5%±1Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	19.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	11.1%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA	$190,304±$9kHighest 83% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA	$1,264,900±$43kHighest 125% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Lowest 18% above MA	$2,370±$81Highest 35% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Lowest 11% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%	43.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Danvers and Newton 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%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA	1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest about the MA average	27 minLowest 9% below MA
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.2%±2Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#91 of 282 in MA	#25 of 282 in MA
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Newton
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	Newton North High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	10.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.