Compare towns
Danvers vs Lunenburg vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Lunenburg has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
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 | Lunenburg | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
11,902 |
9,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.8% MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.2±2.1Lowest 8% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Danvers and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Lunenburg and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Plainville 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 MA: 47.3% |
44%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainville and Lunenburg 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 21% above MA |
$112,828±$11k 9% above MA |
$104,106±$13kLowest about the MA average |
| Danvers and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$463,900±$24kLowest 17% below MA |
$476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,974±$586Lowest 12% above MA |
$1,977±$197 12% above MA |
| 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 11% above MA |
$6,401 7% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Plainville and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
4.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #87 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Lunenburg | Plainville |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Lunenburg High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.