Compare towns
Dudley vs Meredith vs Winchendon
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 most renters (26.9% rent).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Meredith | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929Highest |
6,758Lowest |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Winchendon and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$75,690±$14kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$323,800±$19kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Winchendon and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Inter-Lakes High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.