What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Newbury has the highest household income ($180k).

Newburyport has the most renters (22.5% 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	West Newbury	Newburyport
People
Population	4,591Lowest	18,652Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.5±3Lowest 24% above MA	49.8±2.9Highest 25% above MA
	Newburyport and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.9%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Newburyport and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.3%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.4%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Newburyport 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	67%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%	3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	West Newbury and Newburyport 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	$139,625±$21kLowest 34% above MA
	West Newbury and Newburyport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$808,200±$47kLowest 44% above MA	$834,000±$37kHighest 48% above MA
	Newburyport 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	$1,592±$221Lowest 10% below MA
	West Newbury and Newburyport 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	$7,944Lowest 33% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	80.4%±100Highest MA: 51.8%	46.4%±9.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	West Newbury and Newburyport 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%	5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	77.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 8% above MA	32 minHighest 8% above MA
Work from home	24.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	28.9%±4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Newburyport and West Newbury 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	#56 of 282 in MA
School district	Pentucket	Newburyport
High school in town	Pentucket Regional Sr High	Newburyport High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	10.3Lowest
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.