Compare towns
Webster vs Canton vs Dudley vs Whitman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Canton has the most people working from home (24.8%).
Dudley has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k 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 | Canton | Dudley | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,144Lowest |
11,929 |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.3±5.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
| Canton and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$117,991±$20kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
$108,933±$14k 35% above U.S. |
| Canton and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$395,300±$24k 19% above U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,403±$358 about the U.S. average |
$1,217±$182Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$7,232Highest 132% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,824 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.9%±28.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #22 of 149 in CT | #142 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Canton School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Canton High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
9.6Lowest |
14.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.