Compare towns
Amesbury vs Lyme vs Northbridge
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).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
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 | Lyme | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
1,710Lowest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge 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. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Northbridge 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. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Lyme 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | — | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Lyme School District | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
| 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.