Town guide

Merrimac, Massachusetts

Merrimac is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, home to about 6,748 people across 8.5 square miles. Its ZIP code is 01860.

Homes sold for a median of $329 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Population6,748794 per sq mi
Median home value$553,400Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$329Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking25%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Merrimac

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Merrimac. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

The Merrimac guide is on the way

We’re writing up Merrimac’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

Are you a local agent who knows Merrimac well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked

Around Merrimac

Distances

Nearest major airportBoston Logan International Airport (BOS)33 miles away
Closer regional airportPortsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM)19 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Boston, MA35 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+New York, NY213 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Merrimac; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Merrimac

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Merrimac had 6,723 residents in the 2020 census, up 10% since 2000.

It’s the 223rd largest of 351 towns in Massachusetts by population.

Essex County grew from 357,030 residents in 1900 to 809,829 in 2020.

Merrimac population by census2000: 6,138, 2010: 6,338, 2020: 6,7236,13820006,33820106,7232020

Essex County, 1900–2020

Essex County population, 1900 to 20201900: 357,030, 1910: 436,477, 1920: 482,156, 1930: 498,040, 1940: 496,313, 1950: 522,384, 1960: 568,831, 1970: 637,887, 1980: 633,632, 1990: 670,080, 2000: 723,419, 2010: 743,159, 2020: 809,829357K’00’10482K’20’30496K’40’50569K’60’70634K’80’90723K’00’10810K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 16°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 58 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near MerrimacJan: high 35°F, low 16°F, 3.5 in; Feb: high 38°F, low 17°F, 3.6 in; Mar: high 45°F, low 24°F, 4.8 in; Apr: high 57°F, low 34°F, 4.3 in; May: high 68°F, low 45°F, 4.1 in; Jun: high 76°F, low 54°F, 4.2 in; Jul: high 82°F, low 61°F, 3.6 in; Aug: high 81°F, low 59°F, 3.8 in; Sep: high 74°F, low 51°F, 4 in; Oct: high 62°F, low 40°F, 5.3 in; Nov: high 51°F, low 31°F, 3.9 in; Dec: high 40°F, low 22°F, 4.5 in35°16°Jan3.538°17°Feb3.645°24°Mar4.857°34°Apr4.368°45°May4.176°54°Jun4.282°61°Jul3.681°59°Aug3.874°51°Sep4.062°40°Oct5.351°31°Nov3.940°22°Dec4.5Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Haverhill, MA weather station (6 miles away).

Jobs in Essex County

287,960 jobs at 19,988 businesses in Essex County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Essex CountyHealth care and social assistance: 53,794 jobs; Manufacturing: 41,328 jobs; Retail trade: 37,451 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 29,235 jobs; Professional services: 17,105 jobs; Administrative and support: 16,773 jobs; Construction: 15,293 jobs; Other services: 11,962 jobsHealth care and social assistance 19% Manufacturing 14% Retail trade 13% Hotels and restaurants 10% Professional services 6% Administrative and support 6% Construction 5% Other services 4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

26 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Merrimac.

Nearest hospitals

  • Anna Jaques HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Newburyport6.0 miles
  • Exeter Hospital INCGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Exeter10.9 miles
  • Holy Family HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Methuen11.0 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors3
Dentists4
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants1
Mental health providers11
Physical and occupational therapists5
Chiropractors2

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Merrimac

Parks (6 nearby)

  • Carriagetown Park · 17 acres1.3 mi
  • Steven's Field · 8 acres0.4 mi

Grocery stores

  • Stop & Shop4.8 mi
  • Aldi5.0 mi
  • Market Basket5.2 mi
  • Shaw's5.2 mi

Pharmacies

  • CVS Pharmacy3.9 mi
  • Walgreens5.1 mi
  • CVS Pharmacy5.2 mi
  • Customer Value Store & Pharmacy5.2 mi

Libraries (2 nearby)

  • Thomas Hoyt Memorial Library0.2 mi
  • Merrimac Public Library0.6 mi

Museums

  • Bartlett Museum3.9 mi
  • Plaistow Historical Society4.5 mi
  • Lowell's Boat Shop4.6 mi
  • Buttonwoods Museum5.3 mi

Theaters and performance venues

  • Stage Two Cinema Pub4.0 mi
  • Timberlane Regional Performing Arts Center5.7 mi
  • Byfield Community Arts Center6.0 mi

Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Colleges, teams and notable people

Established in 1638.

Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.

Schools in Merrimac

Public schools here are run by Pentucket. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (2)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Dr Frederick N SweetsirMerrimacPre-K–2217Public0.6 mi
Helen R Donaghue SchoolMerrimac3–6262Public0.5 mi
Private schools (1)
SchoolGradesStudentsAffiliationDistance
Merrimac Heights AcademyMerrimac5–1018Nonsectarian0.8 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

From OfferBacked · Free

Get matched with a local agent.

Buying or selling around Merrimac? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.

Get matched

Where Merrimac is

Loading map…

Towns near Merrimac

All Massachusetts towns →

Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.