Compare towns
Danvers vs Reading vs Danvers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Reading | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
25,612Lowest |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Reading | — |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Reading Memorial High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.