Compare towns
Gloucester vs Sturbridge vs Danvers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gloucester has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k 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.
| Measure | Gloucester | Sturbridge | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,075Highest |
9,960Lowest |
28,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
| Gloucester and Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Danvers 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% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Danvers 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 |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,600±$18k 7% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,411±$94 20% below MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,152Lowest about the MA average |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge and Danvers 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 | #164 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gloucester | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Gloucester High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
7.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.