What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).

Hudson has the most affordable homes ($439k 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	Reading	Hudson
People
Population	25,612Highest	25,557Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.	45.7±1.9Highest 17% above U.S.
	Hudson and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%	16.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	34.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S.	$124,213±$6kLowest 54% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S.	$438,900±$11kLowest 32% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S.	$1,735±$123Lowest 23% above U.S.
	Reading and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 199% above U.S.	$6,636Lowest 113% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	34.3%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hudson and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 17% above U.S.	31 minHighest 19% above U.S.
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#63 of 120 in NH
School district	Reading	Hudson School District
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Alvirne High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.