Compare towns
Blackstone vs Dunstable vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blackstone has the most affordable homes ($404k median).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Blackstone | Dunstable | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255 |
3,408Lowest |
9,943Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7Highest 8% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43.2±3.6Highest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,191±$21kLowest 9% below MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34kLowest 28% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
| Plainville and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703 5% below MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Dunstable and Plainville 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Groton-Dunstable | Plainville |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
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| 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.