Compare towns
Winchendon vs Sutton vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchendon has the most affordable homes ($324k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Winchendon | Sutton | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,440 |
9,452Lowest |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Sutton and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest 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+ | 16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,690±$14kLowest 27% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Winchendon and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,780 37% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Winchendon and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.6% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #269 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchendon | Sutton | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Murdock High School | Sutton High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.6 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.