Compare towns
Hanson vs Webster vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanson has the highest household income ($132k).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
Dudley has the most people working from home (9.1%).
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 | Hanson | Webster | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,660Lowest |
12,228Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3Highest 7% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Hanson and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,200±$10kHighest 27% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Hanson and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,402Highest 7% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Dudley and Hanson 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 14.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.