Compare towns
Plainville vs Ayer vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the most homeowners (70.4%).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k 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 | Plainville | Ayer | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943 |
8,645Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6 8% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ayer and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,106±$13kHighest about the MA average |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
| Plainville and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
| Plainville and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,329 11% below MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Plainville 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | Ayer Shirley School District | Amesbury |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.