Compare towns
Amesbury vs Upton vs Maynard vs Plainville
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($476k median).
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 | Upton | Maynard | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
8,189Lowest |
10,712 |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Upton and Maynard 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Upton 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1Highest 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
| Upton and Maynard 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 |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
$476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
| Upton and Maynard 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
| Plainville and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 23% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$8,266 38% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Maynard and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Maynard | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Blackstone Valley | Maynard High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
11.2Highest |
9.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.