Compare towns
Amesbury vs Epsom vs Plainville
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 kids (20% under 18).
Epsom has the most affordable homes ($338k median).
Plainville has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Epsom | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
4,939Lowest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
47.1±3.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Epsom and Amesbury 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% |
18.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Epsom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epsom and Plainville 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. |
$97,941±$13kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Plainville 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. |
$338,400±$19kLowest about the U.S. average |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,212±$437Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$6,210 99% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
71.2%±19.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epsom and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville 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 | #69 of 120 in NH | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Epsom School District | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | 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 |
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.