Compare towns
Amesbury vs Kensington vs Northbridge 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 renters (31.4% rent).
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Hudson has the most people working from home (19.6%).
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 | Kensington | Northbridge | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
2,009Lowest |
16,458 |
20,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
43.3±5.9 11% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hudson and Kensington 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% |
48.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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. |
$165,083±$18kHighest 104% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$103,400±$13kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,813±$627Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,406±$82 about the U.S. average |
| Kensington and Amesbury 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. |
$9,637Highest 209% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,892 121% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.8%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Northbridge 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% |
1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hudson and Kensington 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA | #224 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Kensington School District | Northbridge | Hudson |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Northbridge High | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 10.8 |
10.2Lowest |
| 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.