What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the shortest commute (28 min average).

Swampscott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).

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	Swampscott
People
Population	28,098Highest	15,277Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA	44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA
	Danvers and Swampscott 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%	20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Swampscott and Danvers 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%	20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Danvers and Swampscott 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%	62.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Swampscott 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±$10kLowest 21% above MA	$134,386±$23kHighest 29% above MA
	Swampscott and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA	$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Lowest 18% above MA	$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA
	Swampscott 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	$7,936Highest 32% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Swampscott and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%	7.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	34 minHighest 18% above MA
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Swampscott 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	#76 of 282 in MA
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Swampscott
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	Swampscott High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.7Lowest
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.