Compare towns
Amesbury vs Peabody vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Peabody | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
54,695Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Peabody 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 about the MA average |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kLowest 8% below MA |
$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Peabody and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 23% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Peabody | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
10.3Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.