Compare towns
Amesbury vs South Berwick vs Dover 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
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | South Berwick | Dover | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
7,670Lowest |
33,364Highest |
28,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick 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% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and South Berwick 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. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and South Berwick 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Dover 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Dover School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Marshwood High School | Dover Senior High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
13.0Highest |
12.7 |
12.8 |
| 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.