Compare towns
Hudson vs Needham vs Sutton 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 affordable homes ($497k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
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 | Needham | Sutton | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,077 |
32,459Highest |
9,452Lowest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| Sutton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82 20% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 15% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Needham | Sutton | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Needham High | Sutton High School | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
11.9 |
12.6Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.