Compare towns
Wellesley vs Danvers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wellesley has the most expensive homes ($1583k median).
Danvers has the most affordable 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 | Wellesley | Danvers |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 30,347Highest |
28,098Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.1±2.2Lowest 7% below MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 89%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.3%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,582,700±$49kHighest 182% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,886±$360Highest 64% above MA |
$2,076±$192Lowest 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Wellesley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 32%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #6 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| 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.