Compare towns
Plainville vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Needham | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943Lowest |
32,459Highest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6 8% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 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%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,977±$197 12% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
| 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%±13.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #102 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | — | Amesbury |
| High school 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.