Compare towns
Plainville vs Dover 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 affordable homes ($476k median).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
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 | Dover | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943 |
5,930Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| Dover and Amesbury 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% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover 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% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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±$13k about the MA average |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,977±$197 12% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
| Dover and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #102 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Amesbury |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
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.