Compare towns
Hudson vs Plainfield 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 renters (32% rent).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Amesbury has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Plainfield | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,719 |
616Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
| Plainfield and Hudson 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% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Amesbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest 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+ | 43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 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 | $90,524±$9k 13% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$103,554±$12kHighest 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 | $473,300±$15k 16% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% 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 | $1,397±$83 21% below MA |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,597 10% above MA |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 18.3%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest 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 | #224 of 282 in MA | — | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Amesbury |
| High school in town | — | — | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
| 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.