Compare towns
Douglas vs Dunstable vs Paxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the most renters (16.2% rent).
Dunstable has the most expensive homes ($674k median).
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
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 | Douglas | Dunstable | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207Highest |
3,408Lowest |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
| Douglas and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Paxton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$134,083±$8kLowest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,325±$637Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,386±$88 21% below MA |
| Douglas and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
91.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 22 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Paxton and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Groton-Dunstable | Wachusett |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.