Compare towns
Amesbury vs Central Falls vs Plainville
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 expensive homes ($519k median).
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).
Plainville has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Central Falls | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
22,701Highest |
9,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +16.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
43.2±3.6 11% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Central Falls and Plainville 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. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$104,106±$13kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Plainville 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 56% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$5,329 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Central Falls 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% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville 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 | #38 of 38 in RI | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Central Falls Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.