What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sugar Hill has the highest household income ($154k).

Amesbury has the most kids (20% 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.

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

Measure	Sugar Hill	Amesbury
People
Population	658Lowest	17,403Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.9% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	60.8±2.1Highest 56% above U.S.	43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	10.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	37.2%±12.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Amesbury and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$154,091±$32kHighest 91% above U.S.	$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$639,700±$50kHighest 92% above U.S.	$519,300±$32kLowest 56% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$630Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,340Lowest 135% above U.S.	$7,360Highest 136% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Amesbury and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	16.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Amesbury and Sugar Hill 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	—	#151 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Amesbury
High school in town	—	Amesbury High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.9
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.