What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

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	Wells
People
Population	28,098Highest	11,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S.	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%	18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Wells and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wells 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±$10kHighest 55% above U.S.	$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S.	$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S.	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,654Highest 113% above U.S.	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Danvers and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 8% above U.S.	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Danvers and Wells 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	#22 of 133 in ME
School district	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers	Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School	Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.