What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).

Northborough has the highest household income ($153k).

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	Northborough
People
Population	17,403Highest	15,750Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+11.2% MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA	45±3Highest 13% above MA
	Northborough and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.6%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Northborough and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Amesbury and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	65.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Northborough 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±$12kLowest about the MA average	$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kLowest 8% below MA	$620,000±$24kHighest 10% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA	$1,919±$269Highest 9% above MA
	Northborough and Amesbury 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	$7,983Highest 33% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8%	50.1%±16.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Amesbury and Northborough 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%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA	1980Highest 16 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%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.5%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Northborough 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	#35 of 282 in MA
School district	Amesbury	Northborough · Northboro-Southboro
High school in town	Amesbury High	Algonquin Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Highest	10.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.