Compare towns
Amesbury vs Epping vs Plainville 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).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Plainville has the youngest population (median age 43.2).
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 | Epping | Plainville | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
7,430Lowest |
9,943 |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Epping 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%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping 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. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,977±$197 40% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% 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 | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Amesbury 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #102 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Epping School District | Plainville | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Epping High School | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
9.3Lowest |
— | 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.