Compare towns
Merrimac vs Salisbury vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Salisbury | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,748Lowest |
9,281 |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8 24% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
| Salisbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Amesbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Salisbury and Amesbury 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 18% above MA |
$93,361±$6kLowest 10% below MA |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
| Merrimac and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Merrimac and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | Triton | Amesbury |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.