Compare towns
Webster vs Ayer vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering WebsterWebster
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Dudley has the most homeowners (73.1%).
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 | Webster | Ayer | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228Highest |
8,645Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
40.2±2.4Highest about the MA average |
| Dudley and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$101,875±$15kHighest about the MA average |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Ayer and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$463,800±$29kHighest 17% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,415±$180Highest 20% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Ayer and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$5,057Highest 16% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ayer Shirley School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | — | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.