What stands out worked out from the figures below

Harrisville has the most homeowners (94.3%).

Amesbury has the most people working from home (17.4%).

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	Harrisville	Amesbury
People
Population	885Lowest	17,403Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	58.9±5.5Highest 51% above U.S.	43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Amesbury and Harrisville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	35.8%±10.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.7%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Amesbury and Harrisville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,036±$13kLowest 28% above U.S.	$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Harrisville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$430,500±$48kLowest 29% above U.S.	$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,611±$367Lowest 14% above U.S.	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Harrisville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S.	$7,360Highest 136% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	35%±90.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Amesbury and Harrisville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S.	1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	13.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Amesbury and Harrisville 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
School district	Harrisville School District	Amesbury
High school 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

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.