Compare towns
Webster vs Sutton vs Lawrence 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 affordable homes ($362k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
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 | Sutton | Lawrence | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
9,452Lowest |
88,736Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Sutton and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Sutton 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% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Sutton | Lawrence | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Sutton High School | Lawrence High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
12.6 |
13.6 |
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.