Compare towns

Webster vs Dummerston vs Douglas 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).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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.

MeasureWebsterDummerstonDouglasWhitman
People
Population
17,748Highest
2,090Lowest
9,207
15,295
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
39.9±2.9Lowest
about the U.S. average
45.6±11.7Highest
17% above U.S.
44±2.6
13% above U.S.
40.4±1.8
4% above U.S.
Dummerston and Douglas 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%
21.7%±6Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.2%±3.8
U.S.: 22%
21.1%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
Dummerston and Douglas 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%
24.3%±3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.4%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Dummerston 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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
58.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
41.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
31.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.3%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±2.3
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$72,895±$6kLowest
10% below U.S.
$101,696±$21k
26% above U.S.
$152,267±$10kHighest
89% above U.S.
$108,933±$14k
35% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$361,500±$12k
9% above U.S.
$335,300±$22kLowest
about the U.S. average
$470,600±$29k
41% above U.S.
$472,700±$12kHighest
42% above U.S.
Whitman and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,228±$81Lowest
13% below U.S.
$1,392±$126
about the U.S. average
$1,503±$697
6% above U.S.
$1,771±$151Highest
25% above U.S.
Whitman and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,999Lowest
28% above U.S.
$4,536
45% above U.S.
$6,338Highest
103% above U.S.
$5,824
87% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.7%±6.7
U.S.: 51.1%
44.1%±32.2
U.S.: 51.1%
33.9%±17.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
61.9%±13.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Whitman and Webster 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%
4.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
92.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
83.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
71.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1962
18 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1986Highest
6 yrs newer than U.S.
1957Lowest
23 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 min
16% above U.S.
21 minLowest
21% below U.S.
34 min
28% above U.S.
36 minHighest
37% above U.S.
Work from home
8%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
25.9%±10.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
20.9%±4.9
U.S.: 15.1%
10.8%±2.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Dummerston and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #271 of 282 in MA — #177 of 282 in MA #191 of 282 in MA
School district Webster Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Douglas Whitman-Hanson
High school in town Bartlett High School None in town Douglas High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
11.6Highest
—
7.2Lowest
—
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.