Compare towns
Amesbury vs Deering vs Chester
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 renters (31.4% rent).
Deering has the most affordable homes ($310k median).
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
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 | Deering | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
1,938Lowest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.8±5.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
47.2±3.8 21% above U.S. |
| Deering and Chester 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% |
17.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Amesbury 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. |
$101,250±$16kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$142,212±$19kHighest 76% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$309,900±$27kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$552,300±$42kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Chester 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. |
$1,306±$116Lowest 8% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$6,223Lowest 100% above U.S. |
$8,464Highest 171% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.9%±27.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
19%±72.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
35 min 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amesbury and Chester 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 | — | #90 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amesbury | — | Chester School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — |
| 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.