Compare towns
Athol vs Sturbridge vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most affordable homes ($249k median).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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.
| Measure | Athol | Sturbridge | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,801Lowest |
9,960 |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,394±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173Lowest 36% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.