What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has the shortest commute (27 min average).

Milford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dudley	Milford
People
Population	11,929Lowest	30,431Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Highest about the MA average	38.9±1.8Lowest about the MA average
	Dudley and Milford 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%	20.7%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Milford and Dudley 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%	18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Milford 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	3.9%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA	$96,365±$4kHighest 7% below MA
	Milford 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±$19kLowest 30% below MA	$476,700±$12kHighest 15% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA	$1,909±$137Highest 8% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Lowest 38% below MA	$5,869Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	56.8%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Milford and Dudley 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%	7.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	65.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 6% below MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	14.5%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#142 of 282 in MA	#213 of 282 in MA
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	Milford
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	Milford High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.