Compare towns
Amesbury vs Berlin vs Plainville
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 most kids (20% under 18).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($476k 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 | Amesbury | Berlin | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
3,378Lowest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$121,336±$12kHighest 17% above MA |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
| Berlin and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
$476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$1,977±$197 12% above MA |
| Berlin and Plainville 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 |
$7,116 19% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin and Plainville 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 | #61 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Berlin-Boylston | Plainville |
| 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 |
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.