Compare towns
Amesbury vs Eliot vs Kennebunk vs Danvers
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).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k 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 | Eliot | Kennebunk | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
7,146Lowest |
11,820 |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Kennebunk 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% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amesbury and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Kennebunk 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. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Eliot 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Eliot 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Kennebunk High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.6 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.