Compare towns
Merrimac vs Ogunquit vs Haverhill vs Westminster
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Haverhill has the most renters (37.2% rent).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($422k 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 | Haverhill | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,748 |
1,379Lowest |
67,698Highest |
8,374 |
| 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% |
+12.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8 27% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.3±4.6 24% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest 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. |
$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$106,331±$22k 32% 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. |
$453,900±$9k 36% above U.S. |
$422,000±$36kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325Lowest 4% below U.S. |
— | $1,668±$49 18% above U.S. |
$1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Westminster 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. |
$4,772 53% above U.S. |
$4,973 59% 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% |
60.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±27.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Haverhill and Westminster 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #188 of 282 in MA | — | #243 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | — | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Haverhill High | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.