Compare towns
Webster vs Wayne vs Douglas 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).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Wayne | Douglas | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
1,101Lowest |
9,207 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29k 9% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| 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 28% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dudley and Webster 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% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | RSU 38 | Douglas | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Douglas High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 7.2Lowest |
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.