Compare towns
Amesbury vs Danvers vs Exeter vs Plainville
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).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Plainville has the most homeowners (70.4%).
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 | Exeter | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
28,098Highest |
16,151 |
9,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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%±2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Plainville 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%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Plainville 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,977±$197 40% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% 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% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Exeter 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% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.