Compare towns
Amesbury vs Hatfield vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.7%).
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 | Hatfield | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
3,325Lowest |
5,656 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
46.8±5 17% above MA |
51±6.9Highest 28% above MA |
| Salisbury and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Amesbury and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Hatfield 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 MA: 47.3% |
48.5% MA: 47.3% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kHighest about the MA average |
$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA |
$92,469±$7k 11% below MA |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
$440,800±$26kLowest 22% below MA |
$465,900±$31k 17% below MA |
| 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±$115 4% below MA |
$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average |
| Salisbury and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$4,930 18% below MA |
$4,561Lowest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% MA: 62.5% |
74.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury 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 | #198 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Hatfield | — |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Smith Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
6.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.