Compare towns
Webster vs Winchendon 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Winchendon has the most people working from home (11.2%).
Dudley has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Winchendon | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,440Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
40.2±2.4Highest about the MA average |
| Dudley and Webster 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% |
21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Winchendon and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Winchendon 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 MA: 47.3% |
21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$75,690±$14k 27% below MA |
$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
| Dudley and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
| Winchendon and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Highest 33% below MA |
$3,780 37% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Winchendon and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
76.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 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 |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Winchendon 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 | #269 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Winchendon | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Murdock High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.3Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.