Compare towns
Amesbury vs Andover vs Merrimac
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Andover has the most affordable homes ($367k median).
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Amesbury | Andover | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
2,135Lowest |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
46±11.6 18% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.1%±7.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Andover and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amesbury and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$88,514±$27kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$366,500±$44kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,211±$190Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,352±$325 4% below U.S. |
| Amesbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$5,962Lowest 91% above U.S. |
$7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±8.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amesbury and Andover 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | — | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Andover School District | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — |
| 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.