Compare towns
Boston vs Dudley vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most people working from home (21.3%).
Dudley has the most homeowners (73.1%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k 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.
| Measure | Boston | Dudley | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
11,929Lowest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
40.2±2.4Highest about the MA average |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Boston and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kHighest 6% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
| Boston and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Highest 26% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boston and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Webster |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
14.3 |
11.6Lowest |
| 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.