Compare towns
West Newbury vs Merrimac vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Newbury has the most expensive homes ($808k median).
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.
| Measure | West Newbury | Merrimac | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,591Lowest |
6,748 |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.5±3Highest 24% above MA |
49.4±6.8 24% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
| West Newbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Amesbury and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac 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+ | 64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Amesbury 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 | $179,500±$27kHighest 73% above MA |
$123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $808,200±$47kHighest 44% above MA |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
$519,300±$32kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,675±$674 5% below MA |
$1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
| Amesbury and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,240Highest 54% above MA |
$7,399 23% above MA |
$7,360Lowest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 80.4%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| West Newbury and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.3% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| West Newbury 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 | #86 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | Pentucket | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Pentucket Regional Sr High | None in town | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 10.9Lowest |
| 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.