Compare towns
Amesbury vs Wakefield 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 affordable homes ($519k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Danvers has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
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 | Wakefield | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Lowest |
27,793 |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% 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%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield 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 |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
| Wakefield 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±$32kLowest 8% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| Danvers and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 23% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest 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% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
10.7Lowest |
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.