Compare towns
Stow vs Amesbury vs Hamilton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
Amesbury has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Hamilton has the most kids (24% 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 | Stow | Amesbury | Hamilton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
17,403Highest |
7,600 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
43.5±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
| Stow and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hamilton and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hamilton and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hamilton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$129,833±$14k 25% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$519,300±$32kLowest 8% below MA |
$720,000±$36k 28% above MA |
| Stow and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
$1,794±$394Highest about the MA average |
| Hamilton and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,360Lowest 23% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
65.8%±23.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Hamilton 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 | #44 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA | #36 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Amesbury | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | None in town | Amesbury High | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Lowest |
11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.