Compare towns
Amesbury vs Danvers vs Epping vs Strafford
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).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Strafford has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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 | Epping | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
28,098Highest |
7,430 |
4,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
46.3±2.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Danvers 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%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Epping 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. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$122,105±$22k 51% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Strafford 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. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$427,900±$29kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,635±$246Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$6,086Lowest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Epping 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amesbury | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Epping School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
12.8Highest |
9.3Lowest |
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| 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.