What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amesbury	Sutton
People
Population	17,403Highest	9,452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.4% MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Lowest 9% 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%	19.6%±3.3Lowest 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%	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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	52.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	3.9%±1.8Lowest 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	$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kLowest 8% 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	$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA
	Amesbury and Sutton 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	$6,763Lowest 13% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8%	47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Amesbury and Sutton 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%	5.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	89.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	30 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Lowest 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	#105 of 282 in MA
School district	Amesbury	Sutton
High school in town	Amesbury High	Sutton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	12.6Highest
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.