Compare towns
Hudson vs Methuen vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the most affordable homes ($473k median).
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
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 | Hudson | Methuen | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,719Lowest |
53,475Highest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| Hudson and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±2.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Methuen and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,524±$9kLowest 13% below MA |
$113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
| Methuen and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,300±$15kLowest 16% below MA |
$499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
| Amesbury and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,397±$83Lowest 21% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
| Methuen and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,597 10% above MA |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 18.3%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 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 | #224 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Methuen | Amesbury |
| High school in town | — | Methuen High | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.