Compare towns
Webster vs Union vs Brooklyn 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 most renters (40.2% rent).
Union has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Brooklyn has the most people working from home (10.7%).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k 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 | Union | Brooklyn | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
944Lowest |
8,517 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.9±4.3Highest 28% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Union and Brooklyn 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% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Union 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%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%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$88,958±$14k 10% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$330,400±$26k about the U.S. average |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
— | $1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$4,793Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
90%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Union 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brooklyn and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | — | #113 of 149 in CT | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Union School District | Brooklyn School District | 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 |
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.