Compare towns
Danvers vs Eliot vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Danvers | Eliot | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
7,146Lowest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainville and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$1,977±$197 40% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,329 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Plainville 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #19 of 133 in ME | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Plainville |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.