Compare towns
Amesbury vs Eliot vs South Hampton vs Salisbury
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).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
South Hampton has the highest household income ($153k).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Eliot | South Hampton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
7,146 |
984Lowest |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
45.1±5.3 16% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| South Hampton and Amesbury 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salisbury 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. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$152,500±$44kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$93,361±$6kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| South Hampton 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±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$661,100±$45kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$478,700±$27kLowest 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,889±$489 34% above U.S. |
$1,691±$411 20% above U.S. |
| Eliot and South Hampton 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,109Highest 192% above U.S. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
30%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | South Hampton School District | Triton |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.