Compare towns
Plainville vs Strafford 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%).
Strafford has the most homeowners (88.9%).
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 | Strafford | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943 |
1,372Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Strafford 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% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford 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 29% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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. |
$431,300±$40kLowest 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. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$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 | $5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest 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 | — | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | Strafford School District | 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 |
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.