What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).

Walpole 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	Walpole
People
Population	28,098Highest	26,388Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA	40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%	25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	67.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Walpole 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	$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA	$687,100±$20kHighest 22% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Lowest 18% above MA	$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA
	Walpole 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	$8,523Highest 42% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%	37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Danvers and Walpole 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%	3.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	34 minHighest 15% above MA
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#91 of 282 in MA	#107 of 282 in MA
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	Walpole High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.3Lowest
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.