Compare towns
Amesbury vs Bolton vs Hudson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Bolton has the most people working from home (40.5%).
Hudson has the most affordable homes ($497k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Amesbury | Bolton | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
5,737Lowest |
20,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +15.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA |
41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA |
42.9±1.7 7% above MA |
| Amesbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Bolton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Amesbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12k about the MA average |
$205,449±$31kHighest 98% above MA |
$103,400±$13kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$796,000±$49kHighest 42% above MA |
$496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
$1,583±$1k 10% below MA |
$1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA |
| Amesbury and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 23% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,892Lowest 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40.8%±8.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #28 of 282 in MA | #224 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Nashoba | Hudson |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Nashoba Regional | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
12.0Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.