Compare towns
Webster vs Rowley vs Lancaster 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).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Dudley has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
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 | Rowley | Lancaster | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
6,251Lowest |
8,606 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Rowley 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% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dudley and Webster 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% |
21.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Lancaster 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% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Lancaster and Rowley 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 |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
| Lancaster and Rowley 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 |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Rowley 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% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Triton | Nashoba | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | — | 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.