Compare towns
Webster vs Ware vs Upton 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).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Ware | Upton | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,048 |
8,189Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Upton and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Upton 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Ware | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Blackstone Valley | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
11.2 |
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.