Compare towns
Amesbury vs Plainville vs Northbridge vs Merrimac
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 renters (31.4% rent).
Plainville has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Merrimac has the most homeowners (81.3%).
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 | Northbridge | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
9,943 |
16,458 |
6,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Merrimac and Northbridge 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% |
18.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge 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 MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
| Merrimac and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
| Merrimac and Amesbury 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 |
$1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,352±$325 23% below MA |
| Plainville and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 23% above MA |
$5,329 11% below MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 7% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainville 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Plainville | Northbridge | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Northbridge High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.