Compare towns
Plainville vs Middleton 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).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Amesbury has the most kids (20% 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 | Plainville | Middleton | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943 |
9,816Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6 8% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
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%±4 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Amesbury and Plainville 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% |
18.1%±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% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 about the MA average |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 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 | $5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest 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% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | Middleton | Amesbury |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
| 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.