Compare towns
Danvers vs Plainfield vs Wendell
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).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Plainfield | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
616Lowest |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
47.1±8.8 18% above MA |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
51.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Wendell 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 |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$65,288±$14k 37% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$290,300±$31kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,292±$558 27% below MA |
$1,239±$519Lowest 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$4,519 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wendell and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9% MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.