Population 12,142 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dudley
Household size in Dudley
| Period | Dudley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.58 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.77 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.64 people per household, Dudley sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.73, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Dudley
| Period | Dudley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.4 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.3 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.5 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.2 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 41.2, the median age in Dudley is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.4, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Dudley
| Period | Dudley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Dudley as they are nationally: 12.2%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.0 points, even as the national share fell. Dudley has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Dudley
Renters in Dudley
| Period | Dudley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.6% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.8% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.0% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.8% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Dudley own their homes; 26.8% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 25.9% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the north. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.2 points, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Dudley
| Period | Dudley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.2% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Dudley: just 2.2% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 6.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 16 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Dudley
| Period | Dudley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Dudley is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1968, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The Worcester area as a whole looks much the same. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Dudley
| Period | Dudley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $708 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $984 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $916 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,120 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$412 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Dudley pays $1,120 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $412 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.7% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 15 have lower rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Dudley
Bachelor's degrees in Dudley
| Period | Dudley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.4% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.3% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.9% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.9% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Dudley: 24.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 2.5 points, even as the national share rose. Only 21 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Dudley
| Period | Dudley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.1% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.0% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.4% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.5% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Dudley have finished high school as nationally: 90.5%, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is down 0.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Dudley has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Dudley
| Period | Dudley | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Dudley runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Dudley compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dudley | 2.64 | 41.2 | 12.2% | 26.8% | 2.2% | 1968 | $1,120 | 24.9% | 90.5% | 4.6% |
| Quinebaug | 2.04 | 56.0 | 7.5% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 1962 | $958 | 12.8% | 79.1% | 18.6% |
| Webster | 2.34 | 42.1 | 16.5% | 40.2% | 7.6% | 1962 | $1,270 | 25.3% | 91.6% | 7.2% |
| North Grosvenordale | 2.18 | 49.5 | 12.9% | 21.5% | 5.6% | 1962 | $1,047 | 21.5% | 89.1% | 5.1% |
| Oxford | 2.69 | 43.8 | 9.8% | 17.0% | 5.9% | 1965 | $1,123 | 30.5% | 92.0% | 6.0% |
| East Woodstock | 2.56 | 50.3 | 6.3% | 8.6% | 12.3% | 1985 | $1,142 | 47.2% | 96.3% | 0.8% |
| Southbridge Town | 2.50 | 38.9 | 19.9% | 57.3% | 6.4% | 1956 | $1,201 | 18.8% | 81.6% | 7.4% |
| Thompson | 2.34 | 51.0 | 9.2% | 10.3% | 11.2% | 1968 | $1,374 | 26.7% | 92.7% | 5.2% |
| North Woodstock | 2.45 | 52.4 | 9.3% | 8.3% | 5.7% | 1977 | $1,156 | 48.0% | 98.5% | 2.7% |
| Charlton | 2.68 | 44.0 | 8.5% | 15.9% | 5.1% | 1986 | $1,569 | 40.7% | 93.8% | 1.9% |
| Woodstock | 2.41 | 46.4 | 10.3% | 20.4% | 8.3% | 1983 | $1,206 | 48.9% | 98.0% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Manasquan, NJ · Poteau, OK · Port St. John, FL · Port Clinton, OH · Port Allen, LA · Poquoson, VA · Pleasant View, UT · Plattsmouth, NE · Plantsville, CT · Pikeville, NC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Dudley. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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