Compare towns
Webster vs Maynard vs Whitman 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).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Whitman has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
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 | Maynard | Whitman | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,712Lowest |
15,295 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Maynard 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 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 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%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Maynard 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% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$124,067±$16kHighest 19% above MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Maynard 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 |
$527,400±$31kHighest 6% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,800±$148Highest about the MA average |
$1,771±$151 about the MA average |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
| Maynard 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 |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman 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% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Maynard | Whitman-Hanson | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Maynard High | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
9.7Lowest |
— | 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.