Compare towns
Amesbury vs Ogunquit vs Wells 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).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($485k median).
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 | Ogunquit | Wells | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
1,379Lowest |
11,713 |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8 27% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Wells 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells 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% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Ogunquit 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Ogunquit 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
— | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,352±$325 4% below U.S. |
| Amesbury and Merrimac 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. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | — | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.