Compare towns
Amesbury vs Nelson vs Wells 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 renters (31.4% rent).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
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 | Nelson | Wells | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
648Lowest |
11,713 |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells 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±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Nelson School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Wells High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.4 |
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.