Compare towns
Dudley vs Reading vs Webster
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Reading | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929Lowest |
25,612Highest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Reading and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading 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 MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Reading | Webster |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Reading Memorial High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
12.1 |
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.