Compare towns
Amesbury vs Lunenburg vs South Hampton
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).
Lunenburg has the most affordable homes ($464k median).
South Hampton has the highest household income ($153k).
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 | Lunenburg | South Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
11,902 |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.1±5.3Highest 16% above U.S. |
| South Hampton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Hampton and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amesbury and Lunenburg 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% |
44%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lunenburg 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. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
$152,500±$44kHighest 89% above U.S. |
| South Hampton and Lunenburg 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. |
$463,900±$24kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$661,100±$45kHighest 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,889±$489 34% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$6,401Lowest 105% above U.S. |
$9,109Highest 192% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
30%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Lunenburg 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% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amesbury and South Hampton 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 | #87 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Amesbury | Lunenburg | South Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Lunenburg High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.4Highest |
— |
| 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.