Compare towns
Brookline vs Dunstable vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Brookline | Dunstable | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736 |
3,408Lowest |
6,119Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dunstable and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6kLowest 90% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kLowest 64% above U.S. |
$674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29k 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,893±$822 34% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,020 189% above U.S. |
$8,092Lowest 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Lowest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #4 of 282 in MA | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Groton-Dunstable | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.