Compare towns
Plainfield vs Danvers vs Holderness
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Plainfield | Danvers | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
28,098Highest |
1,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
| Danvers and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$107,863±$45kLowest 34% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$363,100±$60kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$2,068±$385 46% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Danvers and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Holderness School District |
| High school in town | None 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 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.