Compare towns
Amesbury vs Newton vs Hudson vs Merrimac
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).
Newton has the highest household income ($138k).
Hudson has the most people working from home (19.6%).
Merrimac has the most expensive homes ($553k 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 | Newton | Hudson | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
4,836Lowest |
20,077Highest |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
47.8±5.7 23% above U.S. |
42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Newton 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% |
17.1%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest 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% |
16%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Merrimac and Hudson 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% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newton 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. |
$138,487±$29kHighest 72% above U.S. |
$103,400±$13kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16k 52% above U.S. |
| Newton and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$459,500±$18kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Amesbury 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. |
$1,683±$96Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,406±$82 about the U.S. average |
$1,352±$325Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$8,124Highest 160% above U.S. |
$6,892Lowest 121% above U.S. |
$7,399 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±41.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Newton 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% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hudson and Newton 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 | #70 of 120 in NH | #224 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Sanborn Regional School District | Hudson | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | 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 | 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.