Compare towns
Amesbury vs Bethlehem 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 kids (20% under 18).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
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 | Bethlehem | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
2,537Lowest |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8 27% above U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Merrimac 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% |
17.7%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Bethlehem 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% |
28.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bethlehem 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amesbury and Merrimac 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. |
$85,029±$18kLowest 5% 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. |
$288,300±$22kLowest 13% below 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. |
$1,174±$81Lowest 17% 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. |
$5,418Lowest 74% above U.S. |
$7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3Lowest 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% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem 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 | #34 of 120 in NH | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Profile Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.