Compare towns
Hudson vs Wakefield vs Northbridge
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).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
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 | Wakefield | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,719Lowest |
27,793Highest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±2.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Wakefield 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% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,524±$9kLowest 13% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
| Wakefield and Northbridge 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 |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,397±$83 21% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,597 10% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northbridge and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Northbridge |
| High school in town | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| 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.