Compare towns
Dudley vs Fall River vs Athol vs Webster
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 highest household income ($85k).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Fall River | Athol | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,929Lowest |
94,082Highest |
12,011 |
12,228 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
41.3±1.9Highest 3% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Athol and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Athol 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
18.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$63,837±$8k 39% below MA |
| Dudley and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
| Fall River and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691 38% below MA |
$3,953Highest 34% below MA |
$3,403 43% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
16% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
45.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Athol and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Athol-Royalston | — |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | B M C Durfee High | Athol High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.3Lowest |
11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.