Compare towns

Danvers vs Wellesley

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the most affordable homes ($644k median).
Wellesley has the most expensive homes ($1583k 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.

MeasureDanversWellesley
People
Population
28,098Lowest
30,347Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+5.6%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
45.3±3Highest
13% above MA
37.1±2.2Lowest
7% below MA
Kids under 18
17.2%±2Lowest
MA: 19.4%
24.1%±2Highest
MA: 19.4%
Age 65+
22.6%±2.2Highest
MA: 17.9%
15.5%±1.3Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
48.4%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
89%Highest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4%±1.3Lowest
MA: 7.9%
18.3%±0.7Highest
MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$125,395±$10kLowest
21% above MA
$250,001Highest
140% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$644,200±$23kLowest
15% above MA
$1,582,700±$49kHighest
182% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,076±$192Lowest
18% above MA
$2,886±$360Highest
64% 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%
44.1%±8.2Lowest
MA: 51.8%
Danvers and Wellesley 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%Lowest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
69.2%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
84.4%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 minHighest
about the MA average
27 minLowest
7% below MA
Work from home
19.3%±3.6Lowest
MA: 18.6%
32%±2.9Highest
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #91 of 282 in MA #6 of 282 in MA
School district Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers —
High school in town Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School —
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8
—
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.