What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).

Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amesbury	Dorchester
People
Population	17,403Highest	410Lowest
Median age	43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S.	56±10.5Highest 44% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	11.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	39.8%±15.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	0.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Amesbury and Dorchester 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.	—
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S.	$139,600±$133kLowest 58% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115 19% above U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,360Highest 136% above U.S.	$3,779Lowest 21% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Amesbury and Dorchester 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%	18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	96.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 10% above U.S.	40 minHighest 52% above U.S.
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.2%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Amesbury and Dorchester 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	—
School district	Amesbury	—
High school in town	Amesbury High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.