The Town FilesDudley, Massachusetts
Town in Worcester County · population 11,921 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $392,600
- Household income
- $84,604
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 47 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 40.2
Dudley is a town of 11,921 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $392,600, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Massachusetts towns, easier by car than 88% of Massachusetts towns.
How Dudley ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dudley is worth $392,600, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $84,604, which is more affordable than 49% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,217 a month. 73.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dudley | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $392,600 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,217 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $84,604 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 73.1% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dudley
| People | Dudley | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.2 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.1% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.1% | 93.9% |
Weather in Dudley
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 48.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.6 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dudley since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 1, 2011 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 19, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Dudley itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Dudley
4 public schools with 2,053 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shepherd Hill Regional High | 9-12 | 937 | 14.6 |
| Dudley Middle School | 5-8 | 552 | 12.8 |
| Dudley Elementary | 2-4 | 333 | 12.8 |
| Mason Road School | PK-1 | 231 | 13.6 |
Towns near Dudley
- Webster, MA3.1 mi · 12,194 people · home $333,100
- Webster, MA4.6 mi · 17,776 people · home $361,500
- Southbridge Town, MA5.1 mi · 17,740 people · home $294,800
- Oxford, MA5.4 mi · 5,928 people · home $345,700
- Thompson, CT5.6 mi · 9,189 people · home $291,900
- Charlton, MA5.8 mi · 13,315 people · home $427,500
- Oxford, MA6.2 mi · 13,347 people · home $374,900
- Woodstock, CT7.5 mi · 8,221 people · home $417,200
Dudley questions
Is Dudley, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dudley scores better for retirees than 34% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 17%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.2).
How much does a house cost in Dudley?
The median owner-occupied home in Dudley is valued at $392,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,604, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $1,217 a month.
What is the weather like in Dudley?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.9 inches of precipitation a year and 46.6 inches of snow.
Does Dudley get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dudley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on June 1, 2011. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)