Compare towns
Dudley vs Ware vs Athol 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 highest household income ($85k).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
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 | Ware | Athol | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,929 |
10,048Lowest |
12,011 |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Dudley and Webster 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 |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
| Webster 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 |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Ware | Athol-Royalston | Webster |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Athol High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.6 |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.