What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).

Peterborough has the shortest commute (23 min average).

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	Peterborough
People
Population	17,403Highest	6,408Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+2.1% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S.	52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Amesbury and Peterborough 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%	30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Amesbury and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S.	$98,401±$8kLowest 22% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S.	$404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.	$1,395±$209Lowest about the U.S. average
	Amesbury and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,360Lowest 136% above U.S.	$8,655Highest 177% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	23 minLowest 15% below U.S.
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Amesbury and Peterborough 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	#59 of 120 in NH
School district	Amesbury	Contoocook Valley School District
High school in town	Amesbury High	Conval Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	12.0Highest
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.