Compare towns
Whitman vs Sturbridge 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 most expensive homes ($473k median).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Whitman | Sturbridge | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295Highest |
9,960Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Whitman and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge and Dudley 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% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Whitman 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 |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #191 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
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.