Compare towns
Dudley vs Needham vs Southbridge Town
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 youngest population (median age 40.2).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Needham | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929Lowest |
32,459Highest |
17,928 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
40.9±2.4 about the MA average |
| Needham 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%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Needham 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% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
19.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$66,287±$8kLowest 36% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,256±$79 29% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±8.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
15.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | — | Southbridge |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | — | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.