Compare towns
Amesbury vs Epping vs Hudson vs Plainville
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 expensive homes ($519k median).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Hudson has the youngest population (median age 42.9).
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 | Epping | Hudson | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
7,430Lowest |
20,077Highest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6 11% above U.S. |
| Epping and Amesbury 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% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4Lowest 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%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Plainville 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 28% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$103,400±$13kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
| Epping and Plainville 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. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,406±$82Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$6,892 121% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Amesbury 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Hudson 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #224 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Epping School District | Hudson | Plainville |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Epping High School | Hudson High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
9.3Lowest |
10.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.