Compare towns
Bolton vs Amesbury vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bolton has the most people working from home (40.5%).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k 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 | Bolton | Amesbury | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,737Lowest |
17,403Highest |
16,970 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
| Auburn and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Bolton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Auburn and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $205,449±$31kHighest 98% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $796,000±$49kHighest 42% above MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$1k 10% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
| Amesbury and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
$5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 12% below MA |
| Work from home | 40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #28 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Amesbury | Auburn |
| High school in town | Nashoba Regional | Amesbury High | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
10.9Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.