Compare towns
Dudley vs Acton vs Winchendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dudley has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Winchendon has the most affordable homes ($324k 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 | Dudley | Acton | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929 |
24,155Highest |
10,440Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Acton and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$75,690±$14kLowest 27% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,255±$163 29% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,780 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Winchendon and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
76.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Acton-Boxborough | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
13.5 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.