Compare towns
Hudson vs Wells 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 most people working from home (19.6%).
Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).
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 | Wells | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
11,713Lowest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest 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%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells 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. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% 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. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% 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 |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 121% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Wells 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hudson and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Wells High School | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
11.4Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.