Compare towns
Dudley vs Dunstable 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).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
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 | Dunstable | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929Highest |
3,408Lowest |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
41.5±2.4Highest 4% above MA |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Dunstable and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$75,690±$14kLowest 27% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,325±$637Highest 25% below MA |
$1,255±$163 29% below MA |
| Dunstable and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$3,780 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Winchendon and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
76.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Groton-Dunstable | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | None in town | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 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.