Compare towns
Princeton vs Dudley vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Princeton has the most people working from home (29.5%).
Dudley has the most renters (26.9% rent).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Princeton | Dudley | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,529Lowest |
11,929Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.1±7 15% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Princeton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,750±$46kHighest 53% above MA |
$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
| Princeton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $520,500±$48kHighest 7% below MA |
$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $897±$852Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,633Highest 11% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.8%±46.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Princeton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 25% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 29.5%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #59 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3Highest |
13.6Lowest |
| 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.