What it's like to live in Amesbury
Amesbury is a small city in Massachusetts with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Amesbury deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 62" per year
How Amesbury compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Amesbury
Based on Amesbury's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,366
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,320 a year
- 65% of Amesbury renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$103,860
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $51,930
- Homes cost 5.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 19% above US
$1,683/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,683 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $519,300. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $519,300 · 65% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Essex County is 4.6%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Essex County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 72% below US
91 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 545/100k · Amesbury Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 12% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 17% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 24% above US
45% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 45% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Lowell National Historical Park (23 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Amesbury's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,683/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals.
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