Compare towns
Amesbury vs Canterbury vs Exeter
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).
Canterbury has the most homeowners (93.7%).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Canterbury | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
2,353Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.6±3.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Exeter 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% |
17.4%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Canterbury 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% |
22.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Canterbury 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% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Canterbury and Exeter 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. |
$129,333±$37kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$443,700±$21kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$2,136±$233Highest 51% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Lowest 136% above U.S. |
$7,421 138% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
71.7%±48.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canterbury and Amesbury 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% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canterbury and Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amesbury | Shaker Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.