Compare towns
Amesbury vs Rockland 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).
Rockland has the most affordable homes ($473k 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 | Rockland | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
17,701Highest |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
40.7±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
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%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest 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%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
32.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Amesbury and Sutton 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±$12k 8% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Rockland 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 |
$472,900±$21kLowest 16% 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±$115Highest 4% below MA |
$1,610±$255 9% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% 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 |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10.4 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
76.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.7%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #175 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Rockland | Sutton |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Rockland Senior High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.5 |
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.