Amesbury vs West Newbury
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
You are paying about $300k more for a 4BR in West Newbury, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $300k for 28 MCAS percentile points inside the same tier.
Choose Amesbury if you want the lower price.
All Amesbury numbers →Choose West Newbury if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most.
All West Newbury numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsWest Newbury ahead on 3 of 8
| Amesbury | West Newbury | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS achievement | 36th | 64th |
| Student growth | 46th | 48th |
| Graduation rate | 82.1% | 98.1% |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $23,135 | $20,723 |
| Schools in the district | 3 | 5 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 1 | 2 |
What a home costsAmesbury ahead on 7 of 8
| Amesbury | West Newbury | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $650kT2 | $950kT3 |
| 3BR townhouse | $500k | $720k |
| 2BR condo | $370k | $535k |
| 3BR home | $667k | $886k |
| 5+ BR home | $914k | $1.3M |
| 3BR rent | $3,047/mo | $3,227/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $183k | $248k |
| 10-year price growth | 6.8% a year | 5.9% a year |
What you pay the townWest Newbury ahead on 1 of 4
| Amesbury | West Newbury | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $15.05T4 | $10.15T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$9,800 | ≈$9,600 |
| Town spending per resident | $4,457 | $4,248 |
| Share of budget on schools | 52% | 52% |
Getting to workWest Newbury ahead on 1 of 3
| Amesbury | West Newbury | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 73 minT4 | 69 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 35 mi | 31 mi |
Before kindergartenAmesbury ahead on 3 of 4
| Amesbury | West Newbury | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 15 | 4 |
| Child care places | 611 | 185 |
| Centers vs family programs | 9 centers | 4 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 137 | 27 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Amesbury | West Newbury | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,366 | 4,500 |
| Energy | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Compact center | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Family amenities | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Culture | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Gathering places | 8/10 | 6/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
