Compare towns
Amesbury vs Plainville vs Newburyport vs South Hampton
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).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($476k median).
Newburyport has the most people working from home (28.9%).
South Hampton has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
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 | Plainville | Newburyport | South Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
9,943 |
18,652Highest |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.8±2.9Highest 28% above U.S. |
45.1±5.3 16% above U.S. |
| Newburyport and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Hampton 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% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newburyport and Plainville 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% |
44.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
$139,625±$21k 73% above U.S. |
$152,500±$44kHighest 89% above U.S. |
| South Hampton and Newburyport 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. |
$476,000±$35kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$834,000±$37kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$661,100±$45k 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,592±$221Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$1,889±$489 34% above U.S. |
| Plainville and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,944 155% above U.S. |
$9,109Highest 192% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.4%±9.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
30%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Plainville 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% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA | #56 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Amesbury | Plainville | Newburyport | South Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Newburyport High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.