Compare towns
Amesbury vs Dover vs Durham
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 oldest population (median age 43.7).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Dover | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
33,364Highest |
15,080Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest 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%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Durham 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. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Durham 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. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
66.4%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Durham 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Dover 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 | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amesbury | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.7Highest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.