Compare towns
Amesbury vs Durham vs Danvers 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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($476k median).
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 | Durham | Danvers | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
15,080 |
28,098Highest |
9,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6 11% above 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 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%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Plainville 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% 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. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 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% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Oyster River Coop School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Oyster River High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.3 |
12.8Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.