Compare towns
Webster vs Topsfield 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).
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
Dudley has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Topsfield | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228Highest |
6,564Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
42.2±1.8Highest 6% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Topsfield and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Dudley 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% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley and Webster 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 |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest 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% |
7.5% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Topsfield | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
| 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.