Compare towns
Hudson vs Gray 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 most renters (26.8% rent).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.7%).
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 | Gray | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
8,429 |
5,737Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7 10% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.2±1.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Gray 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% |
19%±4Lowest 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%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hudson and Gray 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% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray 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 28% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$205,449±$31kHighest 154% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$796,000±$49kHighest 139% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82 about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,583±$1kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Bolton and Hudson 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% 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% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #28 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Nashoba Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.