Compare towns
Amesbury vs Lyme vs Danvers vs Northbridge
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 renters (31.4% rent).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Danvers has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k 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 | Lyme | Danvers | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
1,710Lowest |
28,098Highest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Danvers 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% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge 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 28% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Danvers 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. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Lyme 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #91 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Lyme School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | 12.8Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.