Compare towns
Hudson vs Exeter vs Amesbury
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 most homeowners (73.2%).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Exeter | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
16,151Lowest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Amesbury 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| 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±$82Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892Lowest 121% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Exeter High School | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.