Compare towns
West Newbury vs Merrimac vs Harvard
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 homeowners (95.8%).
Merrimac has the most affordable homes ($553k median).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,591Lowest |
6,748 |
6,927Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.5±3Highest 24% above MA |
49.4±6.8 24% above MA |
44.1±4.7Lowest 10% 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% |
21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Harvard 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% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest 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% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| West Newbury and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $179,500±$27k 73% above MA |
$123,054±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Harvard and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $808,200±$47k 44% above MA |
$553,400±$38kLowest about the MA average |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Harvard and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,675±$674Highest 5% below MA |
$1,352±$325 23% below MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
| West Newbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,240 54% above MA |
$7,399Lowest 23% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 80.4%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5 MA: 51.8% |
| West Newbury and Harvard 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% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 8% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #86 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | Pentucket | Harvard |
| High school in town | Pentucket Regional Sr High | None in town | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.