What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($601k median).

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

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	Essex
People
Population	30,075Highest	3,701Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA	45±3.4Lowest 13% 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	15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.9%±6.5Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	16.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	69%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%	2.1%±1.1Lowest 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	$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA	$157,147±$24kHighest 51% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$600,600±$18kLowest 7% above MA	$897,400±$59kHighest 60% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,411±$94Lowest 20% below MA	$1,964±$238Highest 11% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,152Lowest about the MA average	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8%	51.5%±23.1Lowest 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	9.6%Highest MA: 10%	8.1%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 18% below MA	25 minHighest 14% below MA
Work from home	12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	23.6%±7Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#164 of 282 in MA	#93 of 282 in MA
School district	Gloucester	Manchester Essex Regional
High school in town	Gloucester High	None in town
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.