Compare towns
Amesbury vs Wells 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).
Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).
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 | Wells | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403 |
11,713Lowest |
20,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest 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% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells 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 28% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% 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. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% 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. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,406±$82 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,892 121% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest 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% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hudson and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #224 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Hudson |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Wells High School | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
11.4Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.