What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hudson has the most homeowners (73.2%).

Marlborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hudson	Marlborough
People
Population	20,077Lowest	41,647Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1.7Highest 7% above MA	37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA
Kids under 18	19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.8%±2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Marlborough 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 MA: 17.9%	14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Marlborough 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±$13kHighest about the MA average	$91,968±$9kLowest 12% below MA
	Hudson and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA	$513,100±$28kHighest 9% below MA
	Marlborough 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 20% below MA	$1,871±$123Highest 6% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,892Highest 15% above MA	$5,747Lowest 4% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	5.3%Lowest MA: 10%	9.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	56%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	30 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	19.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Hudson and Marlborough 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	#215 of 282 in MA
School district	Hudson	Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough
High school in town	Hudson High	Assabet Valley Vocational High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.2Highest	10.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.