Compare towns
Webster vs Dover vs Southbridge Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
Dover has the most people working from home (34.2%).
Southbridge Town has the most affordable homes ($295k median).
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 | Dover | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
5,930Lowest |
17,928Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
40.9±2.4 about the MA average |
| Dover and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Southbridge Town 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% |
16.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dover 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% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
19.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$66,287±$8k 36% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,256±$79 29% below MA |
| Dover and Southbridge Town 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Southbridge Town 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
15.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Southbridge |
| High school in town | — | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
9.8 |
| 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.