Compare towns
Brookline vs Dunstable vs Harvard
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 affordable homes ($291k 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 | Brookline | Dunstable | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
3,408 |
6,927Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.5±2.4Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$208,512±$23k 158% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$674,000±$30k 103% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$9,020 189% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±77.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #4 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Groton-Dunstable | Harvard |
| High school 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 → |
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.