Compare towns
Dudley vs Whately vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whately has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Whately | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929 |
1,499Lowest |
12,228Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Whately and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest 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%±3 MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately 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% |
47.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$431,500±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
| Whately and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,198±$85 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 | $3,691 38% below MA |
$5,027Highest 16% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 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% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | — | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Whately | — |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
— | — |
| 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.