Compare towns
Amesbury vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Northbridge
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%).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k 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 | Ogunquit | Wells | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
1,379Lowest |
11,713 |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%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. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest 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% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Northbridge 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±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Northbridge 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±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
— | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% 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% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Northbridge 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% |
7.9%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% |
70.5% 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. |
1973 7 yrs older 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. |
31 minHighest 17% 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% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | — | Wells High School | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | 11.4Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.