Compare towns
Amesbury vs Exeter 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 kids (20% under 18).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 51.3).
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 | Exeter | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
16,151 |
9,281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Exeter 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Salisbury 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$93,361±$6kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$478,700±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,691±$411 20% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Salisbury 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,604Lowest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Lowest 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Salisbury 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Triton |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.