Compare towns
Hancock vs Dudley vs Chesterfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Dudley has the most renters (26.9% rent).
Chesterfield has the most people working from home (13.4%).
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 | Hancock | Dudley | Chesterfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 752Lowest |
11,929Highest |
1,055 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
-2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±11.1Highest 18% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±7.6 11% above MA |
| Hancock and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dudley and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.5 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$26k 7% below MA |
$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
$103,967±$11kHighest about the MA average |
| Chesterfield and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $375,500±$21kLowest 33% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
$390,800±$48k 30% below MA |
| Dudley and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,268±$415Highest 28% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,078±$409Lowest 39% below MA |
| Hancock and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,018Lowest 83% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
$5,969Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±36.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
10.3%±84.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hancock and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.6%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 25% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.4%±6.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Chesterfield and Hancock 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 | — |
| School district | Hancock | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Chesterfield-Goshen |
| High school in town | None 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.