Compare towns
Eliot vs Kensington vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Eliot | Kensington | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
2,009Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
43.3±5.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amesbury and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$165,083±$18kHighest 104% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,813±$627 28% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,637Highest 209% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kensington and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Kensington School District | Amesbury |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
| 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.