What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hudson has the most affordable homes ($497k median).

Newburyport has the most expensive homes ($834k median).

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	Newburyport
People
Population	20,077Highest	18,652Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA	49.8±2.9Highest 25% above MA
Kids under 18	19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.9%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Newburyport and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.4%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Newburyport 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 MA: 47.3%	67%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hudson and Newburyport 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	$139,625±$21kHighest 34% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA	$834,000±$37kHighest 48% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA	$1,592±$221Highest 10% below MA
	Newburyport and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,892Lowest 15% above MA	$7,944Highest 33% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	46.4%±9.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Newburyport 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 MA: 10%	5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	77.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	32 minHighest 8% above MA
Work from home	19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	28.9%±4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#224 of 282 in MA	#56 of 282 in MA
School district	Hudson	Newburyport
High school in town	Hudson High	Newburyport High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.2Lowest	10.3Highest
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.