What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most homeowners (90.4%).

Madison has the most people working from home (21.2%).

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	Ludlow	Madison
People
Population	444Lowest	2,676Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-3.7% ME: +2.6%
Median age	46.1±5.8Highest about the ME average	44.9±12.3Lowest about the ME average
	Ludlow and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1%	11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Ludlow and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4%	22.9%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4%
	Madison and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%	18.6%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.4%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8%
	Madison and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,500±$21kHighest 16% below ME	$61,698±$20kLowest 17% below ME
	Ludlow and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME	$163,900±$59kHighest 45% below ME
	Madison and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$988±$111Highest 13% below ME	$850±$218Lowest 25% below ME
	Ludlow and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,655Lowest 45% below ME	$1,740Highest 43% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4%	22.5%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Ludlow and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.3%Highest ME: 10.7%	13%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.4%Highest ME: 74.3%	38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME	1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 15% below ME	31 minHighest 25% above ME
Work from home	9.8%±8Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9%
	Madison and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME 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.