Compare towns
Amesbury vs Danvers vs Merrimac vs Plainville
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 kids (20% under 18).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Merrimac has the most homeowners (81.3%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($476k 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 | Danvers | Merrimac | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
28,098Highest |
6,748Lowest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Merrimac 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 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac 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% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainville 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±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
| Danvers and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
$476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,977±$197 12% above MA |
| 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 23% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Plainville 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Pentucket | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.