Compare towns
Auburn vs Dunstable vs Princeton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Princeton has the most people working from home (29.5%).
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 | Auburn | Dunstable | Princeton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
3,408Lowest |
3,529 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
46.1±7Highest 15% above MA |
| Princeton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±3.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$158,750±$46k 53% above MA |
| Dunstable and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$520,500±$48k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$897±$852Lowest 49% below MA |
| Auburn and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$6,633 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
69.8%±46.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Princeton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
94.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
29.5%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Princeton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #59 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Groton-Dunstable | Wachusett |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.