Compare towns
Beverly vs Danvers vs Plainfield vs Wenham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($309k median).
Wenham has the highest household income ($195k).
Wenham is a college town. 27.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Beverly | Danvers | Plainfield | Wenham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
28,098 |
616Lowest |
4,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8 about the MA average |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
| Plainfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Wenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6% MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7k about the MA average |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$194,781±$33kHighest 87% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$885,400±$48kHighest 58% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 about the MA average |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 14% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.3%±20.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1961 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wenham and Plainfield 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | — | #74 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | — | — | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | Beverly High | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.