What stands out worked out from the figures below

Essex has the highest household income ($157k).

Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($601k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Essex	Gloucester
People
Population	3,701Lowest	30,075Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45±3.4Lowest 13% above MA	50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA
	Gloucester and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.9%±6.5Highest MA: 19.4%	15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	16.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	69%Highest MA: 47.3%	40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.2%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Gloucester and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$157,147±$24kHighest 51% above MA	$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$897,400±$59kHighest 60% above MA	$600,600±$18kLowest 7% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,964±$238Highest 11% above MA	$1,411±$94Lowest 20% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$6,152Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.5%±23.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Gloucester and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Lowest MA: 10%	9.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75%Highest MA: 62.5%	63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 14% below MA	24 minLowest 18% below MA
Work from home	23.6%±7Highest MA: 18.6%	12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#93 of 282 in MA	#164 of 282 in MA
School district	Manchester Essex Regional	Gloucester
High school in town	None in town	Gloucester High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.0
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.