Compare towns
Amesbury vs Danvers vs Durham
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 kids (20% under 18).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Danvers | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
28,098Highest |
15,080Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Danvers and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Danvers 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% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kLowest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amesbury | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.