What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).

Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amesbury	Bedford
People
Population	17,403Lowest	23,746Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+10% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S.	45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S.
	Bedford and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bedford and Amesbury 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%	20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bedford and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	63%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bedford and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S.	$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kLowest 56% above U.S.	$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S.	$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,360Lowest 136% above U.S.	$9,803Highest 214% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	59.4%±15.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Amesbury and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#151 of 282 in MA	#7 of 120 in NH
School district	Amesbury	Bedford School District
High school in town	Amesbury High	Bedford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.