Compare towns

Amesbury vs Merrimac vs Ogunquit vs Upton

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).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).

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.

MeasureAmesburyMerrimacOgunquitUpton
People
Population
17,403Highest
6,748
1,379Lowest
8,189
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+6.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+76.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.7±1.7Lowest
12% above U.S.
49.4±6.8
27% above U.S.
62.8±4.8Highest
61% above U.S.
46.4±4.8
19% above U.S.
Kids under 18
20%±2.4
U.S.: 22%
16.5%±6.2
U.S.: 22%
5.7%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.2%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
Upton and Amesbury 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%
26.7%±5.8
U.S.: 17.2%
43.6%±10.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
44.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
41%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
63.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
53.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
2.1%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
Ogunquit 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.
$123,054±$16k
52% above U.S.
$114,259±$56k
42% above U.S.
$155,508±$33kHighest
93% above U.S.
Upton and Merrimac 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.
$553,400±$38k
66% above U.S.
$875,700±$79kHighest
163% above U.S.
$576,700±$41k
73% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,683±$115Highest
19% above U.S.
$1,352±$325
4% below U.S.
—
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
Amesbury and Merrimac 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.
$7,399
137% above U.S.
$4,473Lowest
43% above U.S.
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
66.7%±10.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
59.3%±29.1
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±61.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31
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%
9.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
68.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969Lowest
11 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1978
2 yrs older than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
10% above U.S.
32 min
21% above U.S.
26 minLowest
about the U.S. average
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
Work from home
17.4%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
8.5%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
43.3%±12.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #151 of 282 in MA #188 of 282 in MA — #46 of 282 in MA
School district Amesbury Pentucket — Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton
High school in town Amesbury High None in town — Blackstone Valley
Students per teacherat that high school
10.9Lowest
— —
11.2Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.