Compare towns
Amesbury vs Ayer vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Lunenburg has the most homeowners (80.7%).
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 | Ayer | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
8,645Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
43.2±2.1 8% above MA |
| Amesbury and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lunenburg and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Amesbury and Lunenburg 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 MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Ayer and Lunenburg 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 about the MA average |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$112,828±$11kHighest 9% above MA |
| Lunenburg 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±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
| Amesbury and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,974±$586Highest 12% above MA |
| Lunenburg and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,401 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Amesbury 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 | #113 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Ayer Shirley School District | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.5 |
12.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.