What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has the most affordable homes ($393k median).

Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dudley	Upton
People
Population	11,929Highest	8,189Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average	46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA
	Upton and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Upton 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%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Upton 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	53.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA	$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA	$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA	$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA
	Dudley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Lowest 38% below MA	$8,376Highest 40% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8%
	Upton and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 6% below MA	35 minHighest 22% above MA
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#142 of 282 in MA	#46 of 282 in MA
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	Blackstone Valley
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.