Compare towns
Danvers vs Exeter vs Meredith
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Exeter | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
16,151 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Danvers and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Danvers and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Exeter High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.1 |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.