Compare towns
Hudson vs Reading vs Amesbury
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 affordable homes ($497k median).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Reading | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077 |
25,612Highest |
17,403Lowest |
| 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 |
43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading 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 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Amesbury and Hudson 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 |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
| Reading and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892Lowest 15% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 5.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 6% above MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Reading | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Reading Memorial High | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.