Compare towns
Merrimac vs Danvers vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrimac has the most affordable homes ($553k median).
Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
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 | Merrimac | Danvers | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,748 |
28,098Highest |
5,837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
46.5±6 16% above MA |
| Merrimac and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rochester and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$120,273±$12kLowest 16% above MA |
| Danvers and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38kLowest about the MA average |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
| Danvers and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,432±$743 19% below MA |
| Danvers and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$6,530Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Merrimac and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #188 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
9.1Lowest |
| 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.