Compare towns
Amesbury vs Needham vs Plainville
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($476k 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 | Needham | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
32,459Highest |
9,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.2±3.6 8% above MA |
| Amesbury and Plainville 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville 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% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Plainville 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,977±$197 12% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 23% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Needham | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.9Highest |
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| 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.