What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boxford has the highest household income ($201k).

Dudley has the most affordable homes ($393k 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	Boxford	Dudley
People
Population	8,208Lowest	11,929Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA	40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4%	20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Boxford and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.2%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9%	16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Boxford and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	70.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA	$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA	$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA	$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$3,691Lowest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8%	47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Boxford and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest MA: 10%	6.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	27 minLowest 6% below MA
Work from home	21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6%	9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#34 of 282 in MA	#142 of 282 in MA
School district	Boxford · Masconomet	Dudley-Charlton Reg
High school in town	Masconomet Regional High School	Shepherd Hill Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.