Compare towns
Southbridge Town vs Dudley vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southbridge Town has the most renters (57.3% rent).
Dudley has the most homeowners (73.1%).
Webster has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
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 | Southbridge Town | Dudley | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,928Highest |
11,929Lowest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±2.4Highest about the MA average |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Southbridge Town and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Southbridge Town and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,287±$8kLowest 36% below MA |
$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Highest 27% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Southbridge Town and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Dudley and Webster 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 | #282 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Southbridge | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Webster |
| High school in town | Southbridge High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
14.3Highest |
11.6 |
| 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.