Compare towns
Amesbury vs Hudson vs Lyme
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 renters (31.4% rent).
Hudson has the most affordable homes ($497k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Hudson | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
20,077Highest |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme 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% |
19.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Lyme 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% |
20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 28% above U.S. |
$103,400±$13kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$496,800±$22kLowest 49% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,406±$82Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$6,892Lowest 121% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | #224 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Amesbury | Hudson | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Hudson High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
10.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.


