Compare towns
Amesbury vs Dedham vs Ogunquit 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 kids (20% under 18).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
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 | Dedham | Ogunquit | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
25,237Highest |
1,379Lowest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Dedham 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% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham 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±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Ogunquit 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. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
— | $1,977±$197 40% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Plainville 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. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,329 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | — | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Dedham | — | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Dedham High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.