What stands out worked out from the figures below

Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).

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.

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

Measure	Grafton	Danvers
People
Population	19,902Lowest	28,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA
	Danvers and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4%	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Grafton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$131,484±$11kHighest 26% above MA	$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA
	Grafton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$525,300±$37kLowest 7% below MA	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$169Lowest 15% below MA	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,117Highest 19% above MA	$6,654Lowest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Danvers and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.3%Highest MA: 10%	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	28 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	22.4%±2.6Highest MA: 18.6%	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Grafton 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	#67 of 282 in MA	#91 of 282 in MA
School district	Grafton	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town	Grafton High School	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	12.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.