Newburyport MA vs Amesbury MA: Which Seacoast Town Fits Your Life?
The quick answer: Newburyport MA has the lower tax rate, the train and the busy harbor downtown. Amesbury MA has lower average home values, breweries, a farm and an easy small town feel. The FY2026 rates are $9.26 per $1,000 in Newburyport MA and $15.05 in Amesbury MA. Compare the bill on real houses, not just the rate.
The prettiest street isn't always the best fit. Here's what I check first.
State Street in Newburyport MA might be the prettiest street on the North Shore. Brick sidewalks. Shops. Boats down by the water. You can picture your whole life there.
Then you see the prices. Right next door, Amesbury MA has mill buildings, breweries and room in your budget. Now you feel torn. Do you stretch for the postcard, or breathe easier next door?
If you're stuck on this, you aren't alone. It's one of the choices I help families make most. Here's what I check first, so you can decide with real numbers.
You aren't picking a house. You're picking how your weekends feel.
In this guide
What's the real difference between Newburyport MA and Amesbury MA?
Newburyport MA feels busy, coastal and social. Amesbury MA feels grounded, creative and easy.
They sit right next to each other. Still, they feel very different once you live there. In Newburyport MA, it feels like everyone came downtown tonight. In Amesbury MA, you'll probably run into someone you know.
Neither is better. They're two ways to live near the coast.
How do taxes compare in Newburyport MA and Amesbury MA?
Newburyport MA has the lower rate. Amesbury MA often has the lower home value. You need both numbers to see your real bill.
| FY2026 and latest data | Newburyport MA | Amesbury MA |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate per $1,000 | $9.26, one rate for all property | $15.05, one rate for all property |
| Tax on each $100,000 of assessed value | About $926 a year | About $1,505 a year |
| Average single family tax bill | See the state's list | $9,868 |
| Average single family assessed value | See the state's list | $655,694 |
| Commuter rail stop in town | Yes | No |
Both cities use one rate for homes and businesses. To estimate a bill, divide the assessed value by 1,000. Then multiply by the rate. Assessed value is the value the city puts on a home for taxes. It isn't the price you pay.
So a lower rate doesn't always mean a lower bill. Run it on the real houses you like. Our Newburyport MA and Amesbury MA guides go deeper.
Does Amesbury MA have a train to Boston?
No. Newburyport MA does.
Newburyport MA is the last stop on its commuter rail line into North Station in Boston. Amesbury MA doesn't have a stop, so most riders drive over to the Newburyport MA station.
If you'll ride the train most days, living close to it saves you time. If you drive or work from home, that matters less.
How do the schools compare?
Check the exact schools for each house on the state's school profiles site.
Amesbury MA graduated 82.1 percent of its class of 2025, per the state's report. Its newest school, Shay Lower Elementary, opened in fall 2023 for preschool to grade 2.
Look up Newburyport MA the same way. Then visit both schools and talk to parents on the street you like. A number is a snapshot. Your kid is the whole picture.
What does a normal Saturday feel like in Newburyport MA?
It feels alive, especially in summer.
Coffee downtown before it wakes up. A walk by the harbor. Lunch outside on State Street. Then out to Plum Island, where you can spread out and see for miles.
Plum Island is mostly the Parker River refuge. It costs $5 per car, and most of its beaches close from April 1 into August so piping plovers can nest. Plan your beach days around that.
For dinner, people love Brine on State Street and the Black Cow by the water.
What does a normal Saturday feel like in Amesbury MA?
It starts slower, and you stay longer than you planned.
Coffee at Market Square Bakehouse downtown. A walk near Lake Gardner. Apples, flowers or cider donuts at Cider Hill Farm. Then a beer at BareWolf Brewing or Brewery Silvaticus by the river.
On hot days, you can swim at Lake Gardner. It's calm freshwater, so it's great if your kids are new swimmers.
Then home. Windows open. Friends stopping by. A quiet night that somehow feels full.
Can you live in Amesbury MA and still enjoy the coast?
Yes. That's the secret a lot of buyers figure out.
Newburyport MA is right next door. The beaches in Salisbury MA and Plum Island are a short drive. You can still drive the coast with the windows down and grab dinner on the water.
You just might have more room in your budget while you do it.
How do you choose between Newburyport MA and Amesbury MA?
Ask yourself four questions.
- Do you want downtown energy, or a calmer small town feel?
- Will you ride the train most weeks?
- What will the real tax bill be on the houses you like?
- How do you want your weekends to feel?
Then spend one Saturday in each town. You'll feel the answer before Sunday.
For families torn between two Seacoast towns
Want to see both towns in one morning?
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About Lisa Sevajian
Lisa Sevajian is a Realtor with the Lisa Sevajian Group at eXp Realty, licensed in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She has guided almost 2,000 families through buying and selling and has ranked in the top 1.5% of over 1.4 million Realtors nationwide, verified by RealTrends. She serves the Andovers, the Merrimack Valley, Seacoast MA and NH, Southern NH and the North Shore. Buying, she makes sure you don't overpay. Selling, she makes sure you don't say yes to too little. Call Lisa Sevajian at 978-457-3406.
Home, for me, is here
This is home for me. I grew up north of Boston. I raised my two daughters here as a single mom while I built my business. When they were little, they hosted open houses with me.
We lived at Mill Pond in North Andover MA. I hiked Weir Hill with my dogs. I launched my kayak on the pond. A lot of my mornings started at Good Day Cafe.
So when you ask me about a town, you get more than numbers. Ask me about a school, a street or your commute, and you get someone who has lived it. If you're making a move here, you won't make it alone.
Lisa is an expert negotiator and we were able to get everything that we wanted for our offer.
Kevin Liu, bought a home in Georgetown MA, verified Zillow review
She listened to me and understood what I needed in this home sale.
Elizabeth Reifsnyder, sold a home in Andover MA, verified Zillow review
Read real client storiesSee all reviewsMore about Lisa Sevajian
Featured by HGTV, Forbes, HousingWire, Boston magazine, RealTrends Verified and Boston Agent Magazine, syndicated by The Globe and Mail and Yahoo Finance, among many others.
Questions people ask
Is Newburyport MA or Amesbury MA better to live in?
Neither is better. Newburyport MA feels busier and has the train. Amesbury MA feels calmer and often costs less to buy into. Pick the one that fits your week.
What's the property tax rate in Newburyport MA?
The FY2026 rate in Newburyport MA is $9.26 per $1,000 of assessed value, one rate for every type of property.
What's the property tax rate in Amesbury MA?
The FY2026 rate in Amesbury MA is $15.05 per $1,000 of assessed value. The average single family bill is $9,868.
Why is the Amesbury MA tax rate higher than Newburyport MA?
Each city sets its rate from its own budget and its total property value. So two neighbors can land far apart. Compare the bill on real houses, not just the rate.
Are taxes lower in Newburyport MA or Amesbury MA?
Newburyport MA has the lower rate. Your real bill depends on the home's assessed value, so compare actual houses in both.
Does Amesbury MA have a commuter rail station?
No. Most riders from Amesbury MA drive to the Newburyport MA station, the last stop on its line into North Station.
How long is the train from Newburyport MA to Boston?
Check the MBTA schedule for current times. Newburyport MA is the end of its line, and trains run into North Station.
What's the graduation rate in Amesbury MA?
The Amesbury MA class of 2025 graduated at 82.1 percent, per the state's report.
Can you go to the beach at Plum Island from Newburyport MA?
Yes. Most of Plum Island is the Parker River refuge. It costs $5 per car, and most refuge beaches close from April 1 into August for nesting piping plovers.
What can you do in Amesbury MA on a weekend?
Coffee downtown, apples and cider donuts at Cider Hill Farm, a swim at Lake Gardner and a beer at a local brewery.
Can I live in Amesbury MA and still enjoy the coast?
Yes. Newburyport MA is next door, and the beaches in Salisbury MA and Plum Island are a short drive.
Sources
- City of Newburyport MA: property tax rate news (checked October 14, 2026)
- City of Amesbury MA: tax rates (checked October 14, 2026)
- Massachusetts Division of Local Services: FY2026 tax rates by class
- Massachusetts Division of Local Services: FY2026 average single family tax bill
- Massachusetts Division of Local Services: FY2026 tax levies, assessed values and tax rates
- Massachusetts DESE: Amesbury MA graduation rate, class of 2025
- Massachusetts DESE: School and district profiles
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Parker River refuge FAQ (checked October 14, 2026)
- City of Amesbury MA: Lake Gardner
This is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Check with your attorney, lender and CPA before you decide.
I'll guide you home.
Lisa Sevajian