Compare towns
Amesbury vs Grantham vs Plainfield
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).
Grantham has the most affordable homes ($343k median).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Grantham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
3,465 |
2,522Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
50.4±7.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Grantham and Amesbury 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% |
19.1%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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% |
17%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Amesbury 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% |
59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$106,403±$54k 32% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Grantham 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. |
$343,100±$39kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Plainfield 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. |
— | $1,674±$181Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Plainfield 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. |
$7,605 144% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
— | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 | #6 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amesbury | Grantham School District | Plainfield 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.