Compare towns
Hudson vs Merrimac vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the most people working from home (19.6%).
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
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 | Merrimac | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
6,748Lowest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| Merrimac 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 MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Amesbury 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 about the MA average |
$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
| Merrimac 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±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
$553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Merrimac and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82 20% below MA |
$1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892Lowest 15% above MA |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Hudson and Amesbury 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Pentucket | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Hudson High | None in town | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 10.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.