What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).

Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).

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	Sutton	Amesbury
People
Population	9,452Lowest	17,403Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA	43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA
	Sutton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Amesbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%	18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Sutton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Amesbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA	$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA	$519,300±$32kLowest 8% below MA
	Sutton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA	$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA
	Amesbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,763Lowest 13% above MA	$7,360Highest 23% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Amesbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest MA: 10%	7.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest about the MA average	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Sutton 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	#105 of 282 in MA	#151 of 282 in MA
School district	Sutton	Amesbury
High school in town	Sutton High School	Amesbury High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.