Compare towns
Dudley vs Stoneham vs Webster 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 most homeowners (73.1%).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
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 | Stoneham | Webster | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,929Lowest |
23,355Highest |
17,748 |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
42.2±2.2Highest 6% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Stoneham and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Stoneham 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% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham 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% MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$113,964±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691 38% below MA |
$6,523Highest 9% above MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Stoneham | Webster | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Stoneham High | Bartlett High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.6 |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.