Compare towns
Hudson vs Upton vs Amesbury vs Berlin
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
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 | Upton | Amesbury | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
8,189 |
17,403 |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
— | +10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Berlin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Berlin 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±$13kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$103,554±$12k about the MA average |
$121,336±$12k 17% above MA |
| Upton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
| Berlin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82 20% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Berlin 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
$7,116 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
34 min 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Amesbury | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Blackstone Valley | Amesbury High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
11.2Highest |
10.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.