Compare towns
Webster vs Orange vs Putnam 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 youngest population (median age 39.9).
Orange has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k 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.
| Measure | Webster | Orange | Putnam | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
14,315 |
9,292Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Orange and Putnam 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% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$142,325±$10kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$491,500±$17kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #38 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | — | Putnam School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | Putnam High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 9.5Lowest |
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.