Compare towns
Amesbury vs Plainfield vs Sutton
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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Plainfield | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
15,141 |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Sutton 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Amesbury 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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 28% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Sutton 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% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Plainfield School District | Sutton |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Plainfield High School | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
10.3Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.