Compare towns
Amesbury vs Dover 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 affordable homes ($519k median).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Danvers has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Dover | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
5,930Lowest |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Danvers and Dover 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% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover 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% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kLowest 8% below MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
| Dover and Danvers 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
9.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.