Compare towns
Hudson vs Exeter vs Bolton
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1970).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Bolton has the most people working from home (40.5%).
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 | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
16,151 |
5,737Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7 10% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.2±1.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Hudson 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% |
25%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bolton 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% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$205,449±$31kHighest 154% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$796,000±$49kHighest 139% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,583±$1k 12% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Bolton 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. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Hudson 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #28 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Exeter High School | Nashoba Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
12.1Highest |
12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.