Compare towns
Dudley vs Wareham Center vs Oxford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Wareham Center has the most people working from home (21.5%).
Oxford has the most homeowners (82.8%).
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.
| Measure | Dudley | Wareham Center | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929 |
3,635Lowest |
13,385Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
50.7±6.9Highest 27% above MA |
42±2.8 5% above MA |
| Wareham Center and Oxford 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% |
12%±6.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Oxford and Dudley 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% |
19%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham Center 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% MA: 47.3% |
20.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dudley and Wareham Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
$91,936±$8k 12% below MA |
$103,862±$10kHighest about the MA average |
| Oxford and Wareham Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$425,700±$54kHighest 24% below MA |
$374,900±$18kLowest 33% below MA |
| Wareham Center and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,415±$537Highest 20% below MA |
$1,177±$142Lowest 33% below MA |
| Wareham Center and Dudley 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 |
$4,217 30% below MA |
$4,622Highest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.9%±27.1 MA: 51.8% |
57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Oxford and Wareham Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
5.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% MA: 62.5% |
72%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.5%±13Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham Center and Oxford 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 | — | #245 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | — | Oxford |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | — | Oxford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.