Compare towns
Amesbury vs Wells vs Plainville
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 kids (20% under 18).
Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).
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 | Wells | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
11,713 |
9,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +18%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Plainville 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% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% 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% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Amesbury 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±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35kLowest 43% 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±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Amesbury 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. |
$5,329 71% 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% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville and Wells 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 | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.4Highest |
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| 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.