What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hudson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.4%).

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hudson	Reading
People
Population	20,077Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Reading and Hudson 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%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Reading 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hudson and Reading 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	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,892Lowest 15% above MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.8%±8.7Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hudson and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 min 6% above MA	31 min 6% above MA
Work from home	19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#224 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Hudson	Reading
High school in town	Hudson High	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.2Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.