What stands out worked out from the figures below

Grafton has the most people working from home (22.4%).

Amesbury has the shortest commute (29 min average).

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	Grafton	Amesbury
People
Population	19,902Highest	17,403Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average	43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA
	Amesbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Grafton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	18.2%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Amesbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Grafton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$131,484±$11kHighest 26% above MA	$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$525,300±$37kHighest 7% below MA	$519,300±$32kLowest 8% below MA
	Grafton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$169Lowest 15% below MA	$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA
	Amesbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,117Lowest 19% above MA	$7,360Highest 23% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Amesbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.3%Lowest MA: 10%	7.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	22.4%±2.6Highest MA: 18.6%	17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Grafton 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	#67 of 282 in MA	#151 of 282 in MA
School district	Grafton	Amesbury
High school in town	Grafton High School	Amesbury High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.