Compare towns
Amesbury vs Merrimac vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Merrimac has the oldest population (median age 49.4).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Merrimac | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
6,748Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Merrimac and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Amesbury and Upton 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 about the MA average |
$123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| 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 8% below MA |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Upton and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
$1,352±$325 23% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Amesbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Lowest 23% above MA |
$7,399 23% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #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 | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.