Compare towns
Webster vs Heath vs Dudley vs Douglas
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).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Dudley has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Heath | Dudley | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
765Lowest |
11,929 |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
| Heath and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas 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% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
— | $1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Webster 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 |
$4,438 26% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest 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 | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Heath 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 | — | #142 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 14.3Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| 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.