Compare towns
Amesbury vs Kensington vs Newfields
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).
Kensington has the most expensive homes ($658k median).
Newfields has the most people working from home (25.5%).
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 | Kensington | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
2,009Lowest |
2,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
43.3±5.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Newfields 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%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Newfields 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% |
18.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kensington 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% |
48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields 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±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$165,083±$18k 104% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kLowest 56% above U.S. |
$657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34k 94% above U.S. |
| Kensington and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,813±$627 28% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Kensington 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. |
$9,637 209% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Kensington 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 | — | — |
| School district | Amesbury | Kensington School District | Newfields 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.