Compare towns
Amesbury vs Amherst vs Windham vs Danvers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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.
| Measure | Amesbury | Amherst | Windham | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
11,861Lowest |
16,038 |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amesbury and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kLowest 56% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192 47% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #20 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Windham School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Souhegan Coop High School | Windham High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.