Compare towns
Amesbury vs Franconia vs Nelson
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).
Franconia has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Franconia | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
1,060 |
648Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
55.6±7Highest 43% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Amesbury 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% |
36.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Franconia 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. |
$87,292±$28kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Nelson 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. |
$530,300±$96kHighest 59% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Franconia and Amesbury 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. |
$1,281±$278 9% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$7,451Highest 139% above U.S. |
$5,575Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±74.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Franconia 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% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Amesbury | Lafayette Regional School District | Nelson School District |
| 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.