Compare towns

Hudson vs Thornton 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 youngest population (median age 42.9).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
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.

MeasureHudsonThorntonAmesbury
People
Population
20,077Highest
2,799Lowest
17,403
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
42.9±1.7Lowest
10% above U.S.
51.1±3.4Highest
31% above U.S.
43.7±1.7
12% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19.3%±2.5
U.S.: 22%
13.9%±4.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
Amesbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.1%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
18.2%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Hudson and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
46.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
46.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4%±1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.1%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
Thornton 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±$13k
28% above U.S.
$90,022±$17kLowest
12% above U.S.
$103,554±$12kHighest
28% above U.S.
Amesbury and Hudson 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.
$351,900±$20kLowest
6% above U.S.
$519,300±$32kHighest
56% above U.S.
Amesbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,406±$82
about the U.S. average
$1,270±$428Lowest
10% below U.S.
$1,683±$115Highest
19% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,892
121% above U.S.
$5,032Lowest
61% above U.S.
$7,360Highest
136% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
40.8%±8.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.7%±24.7
U.S.: 51.1%
66.7%±10.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Amesbury and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
9.2%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
88.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
68.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1970
10 yrs older than U.S.
1984Highest
4 yrs newer than U.S.
1969Lowest
11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 minHighest
17% above U.S.
23 minLowest
14% below U.S.
29 min
10% above U.S.
Work from home
19.6%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
29.8%±9.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Thornton and Hudson 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 #18 of 120 in NH #151 of 282 in MA
School district Hudson Thornton School District 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 History 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.