Compare towns
Amesbury vs Plainfield 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 renters (31.4% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($309k median).
Hudson has the youngest population (median age 42.9).
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 | Plainfield | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
616Lowest |
20,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
| Plainfield 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 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Lowest 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% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield 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 |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% 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 |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% 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 |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,406±$82 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,892 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40.8%±8.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield 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 |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | — | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 10.2Lowest |
| 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.