Compare towns
Amesbury vs Plainville vs Sutton
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 affordable homes ($476k 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 | Plainville | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
9,943 |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Amesbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 about the MA average |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| 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±$115 4% below MA |
$1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% 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 | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Plainville 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 | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Plainville | Sutton |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.