What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Newbury has the highest household income ($180k).

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	West Newbury	Hudson
People
Population	4,591Lowest	20,077Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.5±3Highest 24% above MA	42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA
Kids under 18	19.6%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%	19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	West Newbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.3%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%	20.1%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	West Newbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	46.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	4%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Hudson and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$179,500±$27kHighest 73% above MA	$103,400±$13kLowest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$808,200±$47kHighest 44% above MA	$496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,675±$674Highest 5% below MA	$1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA
	West Newbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,240Highest 54% above MA	$6,892Lowest 15% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	80.4%±100Highest MA: 51.8%	40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	West Newbury and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.6%Lowest MA: 10%	5.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA	1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 8% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	24.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%	19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	West Newbury and Hudson 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	#86 of 282 in MA	#224 of 282 in MA
School district	Pentucket	Hudson
High school in town	Pentucket Regional Sr High	Hudson High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	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.