What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).

Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).

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	Wells
People
Population	17,403Highest	11,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+18% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S.	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Amesbury and Wells 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%	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wells 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±$12kHighest 28% above U.S.	$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S.	$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.
	Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,360Highest 136% above U.S.	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wells 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	#22 of 133 in ME
School district	Amesbury	Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town	Amesbury High	Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.