Compare towns
Dudley vs Needham vs Athol
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%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Needham | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929Lowest |
32,459Highest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Needham and Athol 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% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Athol and Needham 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% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691 38% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Needham 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% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Needham | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Needham High | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.9 |
11.6Lowest |
| 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.