For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $112,828, and the median income for a family was $138,947. Males had a median income of $100,670 versus $80,189 for females. The per capita income for the town was $35,323. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under the age of 18 and 9.8% of those 65 and older. West Newbury and its residents were the models for Popperville, the setting of Virginia Lee Burton's children's story "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel." The town hall where the story ends is patterned after West Newbury's Old Town Hall. West Newbury also provided the geographical inspiration for the "Mad Scientists' Club" series of stories by Bertrand R. Brinley. Portions of John Cena's music video, "Right Now", were shot in West Newbury, with the remainder filmed at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. In the late summer and fall of 2008, various scenes from Mel Gibson's film "Edge of Darkness" were shot on Church Street. West Newbury is home to Emery House, monastery guesthouse and sanctuary of the Society of St. John the Evangelist. Many farms remain in West Newbury. In 2019 the town, in conjunction with Essex County Greenbelt Association, purchased an agricultural preservation restriction for Brown Spring Farm, permanently eliminating rights to develop the farmland and making it affordable for a new farmer. Long Hill Orchard is the town's oldest continually-operating farm. A number of smaller farms exist in West Newbury, including Maple Crest Farm, several Christmas tree farms, and numerous horse stables and equestrian facilities. The town has two primary outdoor recreational areas, Mill Pond and Pipestave Hill, which offer walking trails, horseback riding trails, as well as space for canoeing, fishing, and kayaking. Equestrian events are regularly held by the West Newbury Riding and Driving Club throughout the riding season. Additionally, the Myopia Hunt Club holds an annual fox hunt through the town during the fall. Efforts to maintain West Newbury's rural charm have been ongoing; the Town has purchased large swaths of land designated as Open Space by the West Newbury Open Space Committee. Along with neighboring Merrimac and Groveland, it is part of the Pentucket Regional School District.