Compare towns
Plainville vs Cumberland vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Cumberland has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Cumberland | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943Lowest |
36,820Highest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
$431,000±$15kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| 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 40% above U.S. |
$1,379±$109Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
| 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 71% above U.S. |
$4,870Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | #18 of 38 in RI | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | Amesbury |
| High school in town | None in town | Cumberland High School | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.