Compare towns
Amesbury vs Hampton Beach vs Merrimac
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).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Hampton Beach | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
2,605Lowest |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8 27% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Merrimac 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% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Merrimac 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% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amesbury and Merrimac 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. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Merrimac 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. |
$508,900±$76kLowest 53% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Merrimac 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. |
$1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,352±$325Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$6,115Lowest 96% above U.S. |
$7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | — | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | — | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | — | 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.