Compare towns
Webster vs Sterling 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Sterling has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Sterling | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
8,183Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
51.5±1.8Highest 29% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±4.1Lowest 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% |
22.9%±4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sterling 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% |
48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$129,063±$27kHighest 24% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$498,800±$48kHighest 11% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,699±$161Highest 4% below MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$6,757Highest 13% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46%±23.1 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dudley and Sterling 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #135 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Wachusett | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.