Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Amesbury vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Amesbury has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Hancock has the most homeowners (82.8%).
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 | Pittsfield | Amesbury | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,457Highest |
17,403 |
752Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±2Lowest 6% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
47.1±11.1Highest 18% above MA |
| Hancock and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Amesbury and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA |
$103,554±$12kHighest about the MA average |
$96,250±$26k 7% below MA |
| Amesbury and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
$375,500±$21k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
$1,268±$415 28% below MA |
| Amesbury and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,148 31% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$1,018Lowest 83% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±5.7 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±36.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.6% MA: 62.5% |
82.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 36% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
22 min 25% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Amesbury and Hancock 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 | #251 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Pittsfield | Amesbury | Hancock |
| High school in town | Taconic High | Amesbury High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
10.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.