Compare towns
Amesbury vs Pittsfield vs Hudson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Pittsfield | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Lowest |
43,457Highest |
20,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±2Lowest 6% above MA |
42.9±1.7 7% above MA |
| Amesbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% MA: 47.3% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield 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±$12kHighest about the MA average |
$70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA |
$103,400±$13k about the MA average |
| 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 8% below MA |
$256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$496,800±$22k 12% below MA |
| 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 4% below MA |
$1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA |
$1,406±$82 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$4,148Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,892 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±5.7 MA: 51.8% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% MA: 62.5% |
62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #251 of 282 in MA | #224 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Pittsfield | Hudson |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Taconic High | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
9.3Lowest |
10.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.