Compare towns
Amesbury vs Nelson vs Plainville vs Merrimac
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).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Nelson | Plainville | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
648Lowest |
9,943 |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6 11% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson 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% |
24.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Merrimac and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,352±$325 4% below U.S. |
| Plainville and Amesbury 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. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | — | #102 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Nelson School District | Plainville | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.