Compare towns
Webster vs Lancaster vs Douglas vs Dudley
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Lancaster | Douglas | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,207 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Douglas and Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster 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% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Douglas and Lancaster 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 |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Lancaster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
| Lancaster and Douglas 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 |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Dudley 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Nashoba | Douglas | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Douglas High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 7.2Lowest |
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.