Compare towns
Hudson vs Northbridge vs Plainville
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 kids (21.1% under 18).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
16,458 |
9,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
43.2±3.6 8% above MA |
| Northbridge and Plainville 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% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville 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% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,400±$13kLowest about the MA average |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
| Northbridge and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22kHighest 12% below MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
| Hudson and Plainville 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 |
$1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892Highest 15% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$5,329 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Plainville 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% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
70.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1978Highest 14 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% |
17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Hudson and Plainville 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 | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Northbridge | Plainville |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Northbridge High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
10.8Highest |
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| 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.