Compare towns
Ashby vs Dunstable vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Dunstable has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Ashby | Dunstable | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
3,408 |
6,927Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
| Ashby and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Ashby and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kLowest 11% above MA |
$208,512±$23k 101% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Harvard and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
$674,000±$30k 20% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,325±$637Highest 25% below MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
| Dunstable and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Lowest about the MA average |
$9,020 51% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #200 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Groton-Dunstable | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.