Compare towns
Dudley vs Ware vs Southbridge Town
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 expensive homes ($393k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Southbridge Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Ware | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929 |
6,369Lowest |
17,928Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±2.4Highest about the MA average |
| Southbridge Town 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
19.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$66,287±$8k 36% below MA |
| Dudley and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$294,800±$18k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA |
| Southbridge Town and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691 38% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,400Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±8.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
15.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | — | Southbridge |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | — | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.