Compare towns
Webster vs Ware 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
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Ware | Dudley | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
6,369Lowest |
11,929 |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
39.8±6 about the MA average |
40.2±2.4Highest about the MA average |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
| Dudley and Webster 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8k 39% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% 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 | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
| Webster 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 |
$3,408 43% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
$3,999Highest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Webster |
| High school in town | — | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3Highest |
11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.