What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newburyport has the most expensive homes ($834k median).

Hudson has the most affordable homes ($497k median).

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	Newburyport	Hudson
People
Population	18,652Lowest	20,077Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.8±2.9Highest 25% above MA	42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA
Kids under 18	19.9%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Newburyport and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.4%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9%	20.1%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Newburyport and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	67%Highest MA: 47.3%	46.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	4%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Hudson and Newburyport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$139,625±$21kHighest 34% above MA	$103,400±$13kLowest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$834,000±$37kHighest 48% above MA	$496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,592±$221Highest 10% below MA	$1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA
	Newburyport and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,944Highest 33% above MA	$6,892Lowest 15% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.4%±9.7Highest MA: 51.8%	40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Newburyport and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Lowest MA: 10%	5.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA	1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 8% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	28.9%±4Highest MA: 18.6%	19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#56 of 282 in MA	#224 of 282 in MA
School district	Newburyport	Hudson
High school in town	Newburyport High	Hudson High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Highest	10.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.