Compare towns
Hudson vs Dalton 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 people working from home (19.6%).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
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 | Dalton | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
6,256Lowest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| Dalton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Amesbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,400±$13k about the MA average |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% 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 | $496,800±$22k 12% below MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% 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 | $1,406±$82 20% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 15% above MA |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 6% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Central Berkshire | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Wahconah Regional High | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
10.9Highest |
10.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.