Compare towns
Warren vs Webster vs Ware vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warren has the most renters (35.5% rent).
Webster has the most people working from home (17.1%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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.
| Measure | Warren | Webster | Ware | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,009 |
2,227Lowest |
10,048 |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.7±7.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Webster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±8 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,082±$6kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,700±$35k about the U.S. average |
$338,500±$30k about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530 45% above U.S. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster and Ware 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 | #165 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | Merrimack Valley School District | Ware | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.