Compare towns
Webster vs Danvers vs Dudley vs Whitman
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 (40.2% rent).
Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Dudley has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Whitman has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
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 | Danvers | Dudley | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
28,098Highest |
11,929Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Whitman and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers 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% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Danvers 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 36% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,771±$151 about the MA average |
| Danvers and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
— |
| 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.