Compare towns
Hudson vs Ogunquit vs Needham vs South Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the most renters (26.8% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
South Hadley has the most affordable homes ($358k 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.
| Measure | Hudson | Ogunquit | Needham | South Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,077 |
1,379Lowest |
32,459Highest |
17,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7 10% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
42.6±2.6Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
18.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,400±$13k 28% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$93,910±$15kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$357,900±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82 about the U.S. average |
— | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,325±$54Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 121% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,500 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and South Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
77% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #216 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | — | — | South Hadley |
| High school in town | Hudson High | — | — | South Hadley High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Highest |
— | — | 8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.