What stands out worked out from the figures below

Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).

Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).

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	Oxford	Dudley
People
Population	13,385Highest	11,929Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42±2.8Highest 5% above MA	40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average
	Oxford and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.3%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4%	20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Oxford and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	16.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Dudley and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,862±$10kHighest about the MA average	$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA
	Oxford and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,900±$18kLowest 33% below MA	$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA
	Dudley and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,177±$142Lowest 33% below MA	$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA
	Dudley and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,622Highest 23% below MA	$3,691Lowest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8%	47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Oxford and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Highest MA: 10%	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest about the MA average	27 minLowest 6% below MA
Work from home	16.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#245 of 282 in MA	#142 of 282 in MA
School district	Oxford	Dudley-Charlton Reg
High school in town	Oxford High	Shepherd Hill Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.