What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has the most affordable homes ($393k median).

Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).

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	Dudley	Danvers
People
Population	11,929Lowest	28,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA
	Danvers and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4%	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dudley and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	48.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA	$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Lowest 38% below MA	$6,654Highest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Danvers and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest MA: 10%	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 6% below MA	28 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#142 of 282 in MA	#91 of 282 in MA
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	12.8Lowest
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.