Compare towns
Amesbury vs Stratham vs Merrimac
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).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Merrimac has the oldest population (median age 49.4).
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 | Stratham | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
7,754 |
6,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Merrimac 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Merrimac and Stratham 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% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amesbury and Stratham 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. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16k 52% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kLowest 56% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,352±$325Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Lowest 136% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$7,399 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Stratham 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.