Compare towns
Lunenburg vs Amesbury vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lunenburg has the most homeowners (80.7%).
Amesbury has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Lunenburg | Amesbury | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,902 |
17,403Highest |
8,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +14.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±2.1 8% above MA |
43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Amesbury and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Lunenburg and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Amesbury and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ayer and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,828±$11kHighest 9% above MA |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
| Lunenburg and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
| Amesbury and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,974±$586Highest 12% above MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
| Lunenburg and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,401 7% above MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.8%±13.5 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.8%±3.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer 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 | #87 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lunenburg | Amesbury | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Lunenburg High | Amesbury High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
10.9Lowest |
11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.