What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most homeowners (68.6%).

Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).

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	Dover
People
Population	17,403Lowest	33,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+9.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S.	36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Amesbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Amesbury and Dover 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%	52%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dover 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±$12kHighest 28% above U.S.	$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Dover 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.	$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.	$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Dover 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.	$8,249Highest 164% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Dover 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	#64 of 120 in NH
School district	Amesbury	Dover School District
High school in town	Amesbury High	Dover Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	12.7Highest
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.