What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).

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	Townsend
People
Population	20,077Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1.7Highest 7% above MA	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average
	Hudson and Townsend 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%	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Townsend 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 MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Hudson and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend 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	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA
	Townsend 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±$22kHighest 12% below MA	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA
	Townsend and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,892Highest 15% above MA	$6,031Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Townsend and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Lowest MA: 10%	8.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	19.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#224 of 282 in MA	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Hudson	North Middlesex
High school in town	Hudson High	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	10.2Lowest	13.1Highest
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.