Compare towns
Amesbury vs Ayer vs Danvers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Amesbury | Ayer | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
8,645Lowest |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Danvers and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ayer and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12k about the MA average |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Ayer Shirley School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.5 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.