What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most people working from home (17.4%).

Rockland has the most homeowners (76.5%).

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	Rockland
People
Population	17,403Lowest	17,701Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+1.8% MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA	40.7±3.3Lowest about the MA average
	Amesbury and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.2%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Rockland and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%	15.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Amesbury and Rockland 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%	32.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	3.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Amesbury and Rockland 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	$112,405±$12kHighest 8% above MA
	Rockland and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA	$472,900±$21kLowest 16% below MA
	Amesbury and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA	$1,610±$255Lowest 9% below MA
	Amesbury and Rockland 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	$6,487Lowest 8% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8%	51.7%±10.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Amesbury and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.1%Highest MA: 10%	6.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	76.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	33 minHighest 14% above MA
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%	14.7%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Amesbury and Rockland 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	#175 of 282 in MA
School district	Amesbury	Rockland
High school in town	Amesbury High	Rockland Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	12.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.