What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

Hudson has the most homeowners (73.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boston	Hudson
People
Population	666,442Highest	20,077Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA	42.9±1.7Highest 7% above MA
Kids under 18	15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.1%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	46.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA	$103,400±$13kHighest about the MA average
	Hudson and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA	$496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA	$1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,456Lowest 26% below MA	$6,892Highest 15% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8%	40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	16.6%Highest MA: 10%	5.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	73.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA	1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 4% above MA	31 minHighest 6% above MA
Work from home	21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6%	19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Boston 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	#258 of 282 in MA	#224 of 282 in MA
School district	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston	Hudson
High school in town	Boston Latin School	Hudson High
Students per teacherat that high school	18.7Highest	10.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.