Compare towns
Amesbury vs Newton vs Salisbury
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 kids (20% under 18).
Newton has the highest household income ($138k).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Newton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
4,836Lowest |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
47.8±5.7 23% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salisbury and Newton 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. |
$138,487±$29kHighest 72% above U.S. |
$93,361±$6kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Newton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$459,500±$18kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$478,700±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,683±$96Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$8,124Highest 160% above U.S. |
$4,604Lowest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±41.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Newton 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% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Newton 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 | #70 of 120 in NH | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Sanborn Regional School District | Triton |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | 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 |
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.