Compare towns
Dudley vs Killingly vs Lancaster vs Southbridge Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dudley has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Southbridge Town has the most renters (57.3% rent).
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 | Killingly | Lancaster | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,929 |
17,867 |
8,606Lowest |
17,928Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
40.9±2.4 5% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Southbridge Town and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$66,287±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$294,800±$18k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,256±$79 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.8%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Nashoba | Southbridge |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Killingly High School | None in town | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.1 |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.