Compare towns
Hudson vs Ogunquit vs Stow vs Amesbury
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 affordable homes ($497k median).
Ogunquit has the oldest population (median age 62.8).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
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 | Ogunquit | Stow | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
1,379Lowest |
7,165 |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Stow and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ogunquit 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 28% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
| Stow and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22kLowest 49% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39k 119% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,782±$126Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
| Stow and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 121% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% 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% |
59.7%±44.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Stow 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Stow 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 | — | #44 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | — | Nashoba | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Hudson High | — | None in town | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | — | 10.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.