What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).

Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).

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	Pelham
People
Population	17,403Highest	14,449Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+10.3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S.	41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pelham 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 U.S.: 17.2%	16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Amesbury and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pelham 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 28% above U.S.	$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kLowest 56% above U.S.	$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S.
	Pelham and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.	$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,360Lowest 136% above U.S.	$8,634Highest 177% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pelham and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 10% above U.S.	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pelham 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	#48 of 120 in NH
School district	Amesbury	Pelham School District
High school in town	Amesbury High	Pelham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.