Compare towns
Hudson vs Northbridge 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%).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Amesbury has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Northbridge | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
16,458Lowest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| Northbridge 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% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Amesbury 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% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge 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 |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
| Northbridge 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±$22k 12% below MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
| Amesbury and Hudson 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 |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 15% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Northbridge 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% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Northbridge | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Northbridge High | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
10.8 |
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.