Compare towns
Webster vs Upton vs Gardner 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 youngest population (median age 39.9).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Gardner | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
8,189Lowest |
21,148Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% 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 |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Upton and Gardner 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dudley 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% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest 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% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| 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 33% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%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 |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gardner | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Blackstone Valley | Gardner High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.2Lowest |
13.5 |
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.