Compare towns
Whitman vs Meredith 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
Whitman has the highest household income ($109k).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Meredith | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295Highest |
6,758Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Whitman and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12k 42% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$392,600±$19kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #191 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.