Compare towns
Merrimac vs Ogunquit vs Amesbury vs Haverhill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Haverhill has the most affordable homes ($454k 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 | Merrimac | Ogunquit | Amesbury | Haverhill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,748 |
1,379Lowest |
17,403 |
67,698Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +11.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8 27% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Haverhill and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Haverhill and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38k 66% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$453,900±$9kLowest 36% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325Lowest 4% below U.S. |
— | $1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,668±$49 18% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
$4,772 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.2%±5.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #188 of 282 in MA | — | #151 of 282 in MA | #243 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | — | Amesbury | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Amesbury High | Haverhill High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.