Compare towns
Amesbury vs Merrimac vs West Newbury
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).
West Newbury has the most expensive homes ($808k 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 | Merrimac | West Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
6,748 |
4,591Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
49.4±6.8 24% above MA |
49.5±3Highest 24% above MA |
| West Newbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Amesbury and West Newbury 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% |
21.3%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and West Newbury 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% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Amesbury and West Newbury 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 |
$179,500±$27kHighest 73% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kLowest 8% below MA |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
$808,200±$47kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
$1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,675±$674 5% below MA |
| Amesbury and West Newbury 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 |
$9,240Highest 54% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
80.4%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Newbury and Amesbury 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% |
1.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.3% MA: 62.5% |
95.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Newbury 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 | #86 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Pentucket | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Pentucket Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.