What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gloucester has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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	Gloucester	Danvers
People
Population	30,075Highest	28,098Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA	45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA
	Gloucester and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Danvers and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	22.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	48.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Danvers and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA	$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$600,600±$18kLowest 7% above MA	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,411±$94Lowest 20% below MA	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,152Lowest about the MA average	$6,654Highest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8%	48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Gloucester and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Highest MA: 10%	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 18% below MA	28 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#164 of 282 in MA	#91 of 282 in MA
School district	Gloucester	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town	Gloucester High	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0Lowest	12.8Highest
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.