What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has the most homeowners (73.1%).

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).

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	Webster
People
Population	11,929Lowest	12,228Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Highest about the MA average	37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA
	Dudley and Webster 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%	21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9%	15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dudley 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%Highest MA: 47.3%	18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	6%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA	$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA	$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA	$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA
	Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Highest 38% below MA	$3,234Lowest 46% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%	46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dudley and Webster 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%	16%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 6% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%	7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Dudley and Webster 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	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	—
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.