Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Hudson grades B− overall, ranked 84th of 125 in New Hampshire, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Residents are healthier than 86% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and the median household earns $124K. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $534K for a typical one and 5.2 times the Manchester metro’s $104K median household income. Hudson’s trail density is 1.5 miles per square mile, above both New Hampshire’s towns (1.2) and U.S. towns (0.4). On civic life, just 16 of New Hampshire’s 187 towns do worse. Its National Register listings include Hills House and Hills Memorial Library.
Where Hudson beats most towns.
Census counts: 1,064 in 1790, 25,394 in 2020. The archive holds 13 old photos and papers going back to 1846 and 6 maps from 1905 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Hampshire), ordered by how far Hudson is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hudson. Close and well known come first.
Big draw33 mi Stadium & arenaFenway Park
Big draw33 mi MuseumIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum
23 mi LakeWalden Pond
12 mi Ancient siteAmerica's Stonehenge
33 mi AttractionFreedom Trail
31 mi Stadium & arenaHarvard StadiumFenway Park: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Sean Dungan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Walden Pond: Victorgrigas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · America's Stonehenge: User:Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Freedom Trail: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Harvard Stadium: Nick Allen, CC BY-SA 4.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hudson, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 19, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Hudson.
Hudson sends many workers across the state line to Lowell and has a shorter frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of New Hampshire; it also has seen reported crime rise by about half.
That puts Hudson below the New Hampshire town median (18%) but above the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). 42 miles of trail in 17 parks and preserves. Musquash Conservation Area, at 479 acres with 7.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Musquash Conservation Area | 7.5 mi | 479 |
| 2. Benson Park | 4 mi | 165 |
| 3. Hudson Town Forest | 1 mi | 54 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Hudson School District. Three of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson Memorial SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 648 | C |
| Alvirne High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 976 | B |
| Hills Garrison Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades 2–5 | Grades 2–5 | 354 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NH on state tests and graduation
Within New Hampshire it is less healthy than 52% of the 126 graded towns: New Hampshire sets a high bar. Against the 5,143 U.S. towns with household incomes like Hudson’s, it is healthier than 65%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
31% of Hudson adults have high blood pressure. Hudson beats the New Hampshire average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 8.9% of Hudson adults have diabetes.
| Hudson | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 34% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 8.9% | 9.5% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 12% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 30% | 33% |
| What stands out | Hudson | NH |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.8% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The Hudson 1 Sse weather station records that the frost-free season runs about 156 days: shorter than most of the country, but longer than 77% of New Hampshire places with climate records.
Hudson has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Among 126 New Hampshire towns, just 7 have a higher July high than Hudson.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
24% of working residents cross a state line to work, Lowell among the top destinations. Hudson has about as many jobs (13,033) as working residents, but only 1,781 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Hudson for work: only 13% work in town. Hudson’s average trip to work is 31 minutes. Since 2013, Hudson has added 4,158 jobs, to 13,033 in 2023.
| Hudson | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $124,000 | $103,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 20% | 16% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 6.8% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Reported crimes rose from 227 to 377 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The property crime rate in Hudson is 13.6 per 1,000 residents. New Hampshire has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns Hudson sits closer to the middle.
| Hudson | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 13.6 per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.9 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the New Hampshire average. 17% of residents are under 18 in Hudson. Hudson has grown 2.4% since 2020, to 26,001 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Hudson | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 17% | 18% | 22% |
| Median age | 45.7 years | 44.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 34% | 39% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 20% | 18% |
48% women, 52% men
About 108 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.7 points). Across New Hampshire, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Hudson | NH | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.3% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.5% | 8.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 8.7% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.4% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 12.4% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.2% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.4% | 15.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.8% | 12.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.9% | 7.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.8% | 5.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.2% | 26.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.1% | 17.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.8% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.6% | 24.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.6% | 16.1% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
The typical Hudson home is worth about $534,000, up 0.9% in a year, close to the New Hampshire typical home.
| Hudson | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,735 a month | $1,382 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 83% | 82% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 9 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hudson.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
6 within 15 miles of the center of Hudson
About 7 of every 100 Hudson residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New Hampshire.
3 places in Hudson on the National Register of Historic Places.
5 notable people were born in Hudson.
Town in New Hampshire, United States
Hudson is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. It is located along the Massachusetts state line. The population was 25,394 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-largest municipality (town or city) in the state, by population. The urban center of town, where 7,534 people resided as of the 2020 census, is defined as the Hudson census-designated place (CDP) and is located at the junctions of New Hampshire routes 102, 111 and 3A, directly across the Merrimack River from the city of Nashua.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Hudson.
| Town | NH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson | #84 | B− | C− | B | C | A |
| Windham | #5 | A+ | D | A+ | A | A+ |
| Nashua | #91 | C+ | D | B | C | A− |
| Pelham | #39 | A− | C− | A− | B+ | A |
| Londonderry | #40 | A− | C− | A− | B+ | A |
| Litchfield | #32 | A− | D | A+ | B+ | A |
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hudson grades B− overall, better than 50% of U.S. towns and #84 of 125 in New Hampshire. It grades A for health, B for safety and C for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes, by national standards. New Hampshire has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Hudson sits nearer the middle.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
5 notable people were born here, including Robert Burns and Nicholas Masson.
