Compare towns
Hudson vs Ogunquit vs Wakefield 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
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
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 | Wakefield | South Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,077 |
1,379Lowest |
27,793Highest |
17,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% 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. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
42.6±2.6 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% 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% |
4.4%±0.9 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. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$93,910±$15kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Wakefield 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±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$357,900±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,958±$102Highest 39% 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. |
$7,779Highest 149% 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% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Hadley and Wakefield 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% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest 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. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% 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% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | — | #179 of 282 in MA | #216 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | South Hadley |
| High school in town | Hudson High | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | South Hadley High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2 |
— | 10.7Highest |
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.