Compare towns

Webster vs Whately vs Dudley

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).
Whately has the most people working from home (20.4%).

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.

MeasureWebsterWhatelyDudley
People
Population
12,228Highest
1,499Lowest
11,929
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.9%
MA: +7.4%
+7.4%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+4.7%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
37.2±2.1Lowest
7% below MA
49.3±6.7Highest
23% above MA
40.2±2.4
about the MA average
Whately and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.8%±3.6Highest
MA: 19.4%
16.4%±3.8Lowest
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%±2.5Lowest
MA: 17.9%
24.5%±6.3Highest
MA: 17.9%
16.9%±3
MA: 17.9%
Whately 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%
47.6%Highest
MA: 47.3%
24.1%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6%±1.8
MA: 7.9%
2.5%±1.4Lowest
MA: 7.9%
13.1%±2Highest
MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$63,837±$8kLowest
39% below MA
$116,563±$15kHighest
12% above MA
$84,604±$12k
19% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$333,100±$14kLowest
41% below MA
$431,500±$22kHighest
23% below MA
$392,600±$19k
30% below MA
Whately and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,198±$85
32% below MA
$977±$125Lowest
45% 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
$5,027Highest
16% below MA
$3,691
38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.1%±7.4
MA: 51.8%
26.7%±29Lowest
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%
5.4%Lowest
MA: 10%
6.4%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
45.5%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
88.2%Highest
MA: 62.5%
73.1%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1954Lowest
10 yrs older than MA
1974Highest
10 yrs newer than MA
1967
3 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
5% below MA
23 minLowest
21% below MA
27 min
6% below MA
Work from home
7.1%±2.9Lowest
MA: 18.6%
20.4%±8.5Highest
MA: 18.6%
9.1%±2.5
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #271 of 282 in MA — #142 of 282 in MA
School district — Whately 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.