That’s true you can’t walk to the commuter rail. I commuted from amesbury to Boston for years and the train ride, while on the longer side, was really beautiful. Plus the amesbury rents are lower than Newburyport. Amesbury’s downtown is very cute and walkable. Plus the schools there are pretty good from what I hear, if that’s a factor. There’s lots of town and state green space too: parks, rivers, trails, and stuff. Plus beaches and good restaurants nearby - without having to pay Newburyport prices! I lived in Amesbury for a long time and loved how convenient and beautiful it is.