Compare towns
Amesbury vs Peterborough 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 expensive homes ($519k median).
Peterborough has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Peterborough | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
6,408Lowest |
20,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1Lowest 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%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 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±$12kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$98,401±$8kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$103,400±$13k 28% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Hudson 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. |
$404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$496,800±$22k 49% 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±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,395±$209Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,406±$82 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360 136% above U.S. |
$8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
$6,892Lowest 121% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.8%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hudson and Amesbury 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 | #59 of 120 in NH | #224 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Contoocook Valley School District | Hudson |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Conval Regional High School | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
12.0Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 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.