Compare towns
Webster vs Upton vs Douglas 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).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
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 | Upton | Douglas | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,207 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Upton and Douglas 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Douglas 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Upton and Douglas 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 |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Douglas and Webster 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton 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 MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Douglas 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Douglas | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Blackstone Valley | Douglas High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.2 |
7.2Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.