Compare towns
Amesbury vs Halifax 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 renters (31.4% rent).
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Halifax | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
7,748Lowest |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
41.9±4.7Lowest 5% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Danvers and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Amesbury 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% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Halifax 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% |
36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Halifax 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 |
$118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
| Danvers and Halifax 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 |
$481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| Danvers and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$6,840 14% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest 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% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Amesbury 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Halifax | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.