What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most people working from home (17.4%).

Middleborough has the most homeowners (76.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amesbury	Middleborough
People
Population	17,403Lowest	24,505Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.9% MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA	43.4±2.1Lowest 9% above MA
	Amesbury and Middleborough 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%	18.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Amesbury and Middleborough 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%	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Middleborough and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	32%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Amesbury and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,554±$12kHighest about the MA average	$97,056±$7kLowest 7% below MA
	Amesbury and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA	$468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA	$1,706±$72Highest 3% below MA
	Middleborough and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,360Highest 23% above MA	$6,023Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8%	57.2%±11.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Amesbury and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.1%Highest MA: 10%	6.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	76.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	31 minHighest 7% above MA
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%	13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Amesbury and Middleborough 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	#170 of 282 in MA
School district	Amesbury	Middleborough
High school in town	Amesbury High	Middleborough High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	11.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.