Compare towns
Plainville vs Sturbridge 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 youngest population (median age 43.2).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
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 | Sturbridge | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,943Lowest |
9,960 |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge 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 |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
| 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 12% above MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% 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 |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge and Plainville 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainville | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Amesbury |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
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.