What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

Danvers has the shortest commute (28 min average).

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	Wakefield	Danvers
People
Population	27,793Lowest	28,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA	45.3±3Highest 13% above MA
	Danvers and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Wakefield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Danvers and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wakefield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA	$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA
	Wakefield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA	$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA
	Danvers and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,779Highest 30% above MA	$6,654Lowest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Danvers and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Highest MA: 10%	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 14% above MA	28 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield 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	#179 of 282 in MA	#91 of 282 in MA
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	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.