Compare towns
Middlesex vs Amesbury vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
Waterbury has the most kids (21.9% 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 | Middlesex | Amesbury | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
17,403Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Amesbury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$6,435Lowest 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury 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 | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Amesbury | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Amesbury High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.