Compare towns
Webster vs Gray vs Whitman vs Dudley
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).
Gray has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Dudley has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Gray | Whitman | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
8,429Lowest |
15,295 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Gray and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Whitman and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster and Gray 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% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$108,933±$14kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Gray 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. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,217±$182Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman and Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gray and Whitman 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #191 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Whitman-Hanson | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
12.5 |
— | 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.