What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rockport has the shortest commute (11 min average).

West Newbury has the highest household income ($180k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rockport	West Newbury
People
Population	3,675Lowest	4,591Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.7±3.7Lowest 25% above U.S.	49.5±3Highest 27% above U.S.
	West Newbury and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Rockport and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Rockport and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	64.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Rockport and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,979±$16kLowest 8% above U.S.	$179,500±$27kHighest 122% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$469,000±$50kLowest 41% above U.S.	$808,200±$47kHighest 143% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,194±$667Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,675±$674Highest 19% above U.S.
	West Newbury and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,764Lowest 85% above U.S.	$9,240Highest 196% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±42.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	80.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	West Newbury and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	11 minLowest 57% below U.S.	31 minHighest 19% above U.S.
Work from home	17.1%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	West Newbury and Rockport 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	#8 of 133 in ME	#86 of 282 in MA
School district	Five Town CSD · RSU 28/MSAD 28	Pentucket
High school in town	Camden Hills Regional H S	Pentucket Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.