Compare towns
Dudley vs Orange vs Webster
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).
Orange has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% 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 | Orange | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929Lowest |
14,315 |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
45.6±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange 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% |
23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Webster 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
$142,325±$10kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
$491,500±$17kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$361,500±$12kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #38 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Webster |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | None in town | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.