Compare towns
Amesbury vs Durham vs Hudson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Hudson has the most homeowners (73.2%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
15,080Lowest |
20,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
42.9±1.7 10% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$103,400±$13kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Durham and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$496,800±$22kLowest 49% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,406±$82Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Amesbury and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,892Lowest 121% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hudson and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | #9 of 120 in NH | #224 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Oyster River Coop School District | Hudson |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Oyster River High School | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
12.3Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.