What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hudson has the most affordable homes ($439k median).

Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).

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	Amherst
People
Population	25,557Highest	11,861Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.7±1.9Lowest 6% above NH	45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH
	Amherst and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2%	22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1%	20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Hudson and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%	65.7%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7%±1.7Highest NH: 6%	3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$124,213±$6kLowest 25% above NH	$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$438,900±$11kLowest 9% above NH	$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,735±$123Highest 16% above NH	$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average
	Hudson and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,636Lowest about the NH average	$9,773Highest 47% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.3%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2%	31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Hudson and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.6%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.6%Lowest NH: 72.8%	91.9%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 18% above NH	33 minHighest 22% above NH
Work from home	19.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8%	32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#63 of 120 in NH	#20 of 120 in NH
School district	Hudson School District	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District
High school in town	Alvirne High School	Souhegan Coop High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

NH 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.