A plain-language guide to choosing between Newburyport and Amesbury. Both are exceptional Seacoast communities. The decision is not which is better. It is which life feels more like yours.
For the full storytelling version with personal day-in-the-life detail, see the companion blog post.
On paper, both towns offer Seacoast access, engaged communities, and beautiful neighborhoods. Once you live in either one, they feel quite different.
| Category | Newburyport | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|
| Typical single-family price range | $900K – $1.5M+ | $550K – $850K |
| Downtown feel | Polished, walkable, coastal social energy | Grounded, creative, neighborhood-rooted |
| Boston Magazine 2025 HS ranking | #49 (Newburyport High) | #50 (Amesbury High) |
| MBTA commuter rail | Yes — Newburyport/Rockport line to North Station (~65–75 min) | No station; drive ~10 min to Newburyport |
| Commute by car to Boston | ~45–65 min via I-95 | ~45–65 min via I-95 |
| Coastal/outdoor anchor | Plum Island, Maudslay State Park, harbor | Lake Gardner, wooded neighborhoods, Cider Hill |
| Social scene anchor | Restaurant culture, waterfront boutiques | BareWolf Brewing, Mill 77, Cider Hill Farm |
| Coffee rhythm | Olive's Coffee & Bakehouse, Plum Island Coffee Roasters | Flamingos Coffee Bar, Market Square Bakehouse |
Newburyport often feels like people are building a polished coastal life. Amesbury often feels like people are settling into a grounded one. Neither is better — they are different kinds of beautiful. The right answer is the one you actually want to live every day.
Newburyport's MBTA connection is the single most underrated lifestyle factor in this comparison. If a Boston commute, evening events, or hybrid office schedules shape your week, Newburyport earns the premium. If you work remotely or commute within the region, Amesbury gives you significant breathing room for the dollar — while still being 10 minutes from the Newburyport station when you need it.
Typical single-family pricing in Newburyport runs $900K to $1.5M or more. Amesbury typically runs $550K to $850K. At today's rates, that gap changes monthly payments, vacations, college savings, renovation capacity, and how much pressure a family carries every month. The right house is the one your life can absorb without holding its breath.
Both towns have strong districts. Newburyport High and Amesbury High ranked back-to-back (#49 and #50) in Boston Magazine's 2025 Greater Boston list. School fit is more nuanced than a number. Some children thrive in competitive, coastal-community environments. Others thrive in slightly smaller, more community-rooted settings. The fit is more important than the ranking.
Coffee at Olive's, brunch downtown on State Street, Plum Island in the afternoon, dinner on the waterfront. Or coffee at Flamingos, a walk at Lake Gardner, cider donuts at Cider Hill Farm, and BareWolf Brewing in the evening. Both are real. One is yours.
We are currently pulling five-year MLS PIN data for Newburyport and Amesbury single-family closed sales. Lisa will add the full five-year market review — average sale price, price per square foot, days on market, sale-to-list ratio, and months supply — when the next data refresh runs.
In the meantime, call or text Lisa directly at 978-457-3406 for current MLS data on any specific price point, neighborhood, or property type in either town.
These searches open live MLS results on our partner site, soldbylsg.com. Refreshed by the MLS, not by us.
Listings are pulled live from MLS PIN via soldbylsg.com. Call Lisa directly at 978-457-3406 if you want eyes on something before it hits the public sites.
| Population | 18,731 (2023 est.) [Census] |
| Median HHI | $144,259 (2023 ACS) [Census] |
| BM School Rank 2025 | #49 of 150 [Boston Mag] |
| GreatSchools | Not published numerically [GreatSchools] |
| Tax Rate | $9.58/$1,000 (FY2025) [Assessor] |
| 2025 Median Sale | $785K–$1.2M [Redfin] |
| School Start 2026–27 | Not yet published [District] |
| Transit | MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line to North Station [MBTA] |
| Population | 17,617 (2024 est.) [Census] |
| Median HHI | Not in current QuickFacts; 68.3% owner-occupied [DataUSA] |
| BM School Rank 2025 | #50 of 150 [Boston Mag] |
| GreatSchools | 6/10 [GreatSchools] |
| Tax Rate | $18.25/$1,000 (FY2026) [Assessor] |
| 2025 Median Sale | $530,000 [Redfin] |
| School Start 2026–27 | Not yet published; 2025–26 started Aug 27 [PDF] |
| Transit | No MBTA station; nearest Newburyport (~7 mi); MeVa Route 17 [MeVa] |
Data compiled May 2026 from Census QuickFacts, Redfin, Boston Magazine, and municipal sources.
Yes, significantly. Newburyport single-family pricing typically runs $900K to $1.5M or more. Amesbury typically runs $550K to $850K depending on neighborhood. The gap reflects walkability, waterfront proximity, and coastal identity that Newburyport commands as a premium.
Yes. The MBTA Newburyport/Rockport line terminates in Newburyport with direct trains to Boston's North Station. Travel time typically runs 65 to 75 minutes. Amesbury does not have its own station; most residents drive approximately 10 minutes to Newburyport station to board.
Both districts are well-regarded. Newburyport High School ranked #49 and Amesbury High School ranked #50 in Boston Magazine's 2025 Greater Boston public high school rankings. Both have strong community-rooted academics. For families who want detailed MCAS data and per-pupil spending, Lisa can pull current district reports.
Both are genuinely family-friendly communities. Amesbury often offers more yard space, more house per dollar, and greater financial breathing room. Newburyport gives families walkable access to downtown, the waterfront, and Plum Island. The right answer depends on how a family actually uses its space on a Tuesday and a Saturday.
Amesbury has a distinct and growing social identity. BareWolf Brewing hosts live music, open mic nights, trivia, and local events. Mill 77 Brewing adds patio nights and food trucks. Cider Hill Farm anchors the seasonal calendar with apple picking, hard cider weekends, live music, and flower festivals. Newburyport leans more toward restaurant culture and coastal boutiques.
Client reviews
"Lisa and her team are incredible. They are extremely responsive throughout the process and helped us walk through potential properties to find an absolute dream home. Lisa is an expert negotiator and we were able to get everything that we wanted."
Kevin Liu
Bought a home in Georgetown, MA · May 2024 · Read on Zillow
"Lisa exceeded every expectation I had as a realtor. She listened to me and understood what I needed in this home sale, and created a pricing and marketing strategy to meet our family's needs. She took our home from listed to a signed Purchase and Sale quickly."
Elizabeth Reifsnyder
Sold a home in Andover, MA · June 2018 · Read on Zillow
"Calling Lisa to sell our house was the best decision we made. Her expertise and passion for her work is apparent. Because of her superb marketing abilities and enthusiasm, we had an offer on our antique house quickly and for a strong price."
Leeann Stella
Sold a home in Wilmington, MA · August 2019 · Read on Zillow
"My husband and I just purchased our first house and used Lisa as our agent. It was a long journey finding our perfect home since we were willing to wait for the right place, and Lisa was incredibly knowledgeable and patient throughout the entire process."
Katelyn B.
Bought a home in Newburyport, MA · July 2019 · Read on Zillow
Liza
Andover, MA · June 2018 · Read on Realtor.com
Lisa Sevajian is the founder of the Lisa Sevajian Group at eXp Realty — a North Andover native with over 20 years of experience, approaching 2,000 successful sales, and nearly 1,500 closed transactions across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. She is ranked in the top 1.5 percent of over 1.5 million Realtors nationally and has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, and HGTV.
Newburyport, Amesbury, Andover, North Andover, Haverhill, Methuen, Georgetown, Boxford, and the broader Merrimack Valley and North Shore in Massachusetts — plus Salem, Windham, Portsmouth, and Seacoast communities in Southern New Hampshire. Licensed in both MA and NH.
Call or text 978-457-3406 · Email lisa.sevajian@exprealty.com
Book a private consultation →This guide was written by Lisa Sevajian, a licensed Massachusetts and New Hampshire Realtor with over 20 years of direct experience in these markets. All pricing ranges reflect general market conditions as of spring 2026 and are not guarantees of any specific property value.
Ratings, prices, and business hours change. Verify any local business details before visiting. This guide is intended as a general reference, not a guarantee of current conditions.
With nearly 2,000 closings and twenty years of MA + NH deals, Lisa Sevajian ranks among the top real estate agents in Newburyport. Lisa and her team have sold across Newburyport, Amesbury, Salisbury, Newbury, West Newbury, Merrimac, and Groveland for two decades, with working knowledge of the coastal micro-markets that separate a great deal from a missed one. Approaching 2,000 sales across MA and NH is the track record behind that claim.
With nearly 2,000 closings and twenty years of MA + NH deals, Lisa Sevajian ranks among the top real estate agents in Amesbury. Lisa has sold extensively in Amesbury and understands the town’s evolving identity: the growing brewery and arts scene, the neighborhood pockets that have appreciated fastest, and the price points that make Amesbury the smarter Seacoast entry for value-driven buyers. She holds a 5-star rating on Zillow (29 reviews), Realtor.com, and Facebook (15 reviews, 96% recommend).
With nearly 2,000 closings and twenty years of MA + NH deals, Lisa Sevajian ranks among the top real estate agents in Newburyport and Amesbury. The Seacoast market is specific. Coastal buyers have particular expectations, and the right marketing for a Newburyport waterfront property is not the same as for an Amesbury colonial. Lisa knows the difference and builds a plan around it. The first conversation is honest, free, and carries no obligation.
We will run the real numbers, walk both downtowns with you, and help you find the place your life actually fits — whether that is Newburyport, Amesbury, or somewhere else on the Seacoast entirely.
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Lisa believes in science, is a huge equality proponent, dog lover, animal rescuer, and the first one to say “sleep on it” before making any major moves. She has been the chosen Realtor of smart buyers and sellers who are serious about moving since 2007 — long enough to know that the houses are the easy part. The lives moving into and out of them are the real story. Lisa serves Amesbury, Newburyport, the Seacoast, and communities north of Boston.