Compare towns
Whitman vs Ayer vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has the highest household income ($109k).
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Dudley has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
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 | Whitman | Ayer | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295Highest |
3,098Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
42.1±6.9Highest 5% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Ayer and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±5.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Whitman and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.3%±5.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Dudley and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3% MA: 47.3% |
37.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14kHighest 5% above MA |
$74,878±$17kLowest 28% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Whitman and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12kHighest 16% below MA |
$444,600±$43k 21% below MA |
$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA |
| Whitman and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
$1,240±$169 30% below MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest about the MA average |
$4,911 18% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±21.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.9% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4% MA: 62.5% |
58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #191 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.