Compare towns
Hudson vs Danvers vs Exeter vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the youngest population (median age 42.9).
Danvers has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Danvers | Exeter | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,077 |
28,098Highest |
16,151 |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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±$13kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,782±$126 26% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 121% above U.S. |
$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.