Compare towns
Amesbury vs Kensington 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).
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
Merrimac has the oldest population (median age 49.4).
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 | Kensington | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
2,009Lowest |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
43.3±5.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Amesbury 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% |
17.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Kensington 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% |
18.8%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Merrimac and Kensington 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% |
48.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amesbury and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$165,083±$18kHighest 104% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16k 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kLowest 56% above U.S. |
$657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,813±$627Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,352±$325Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Kensington and Amesbury 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. |
$9,637Highest 209% above U.S. |
$7,399 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Merrimac 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% |
1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kensington 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 | — | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Kensington School District | Pentucket |
| 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.