Compare towns
Douglas vs Dunstable vs Princeton vs Sutton
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 affordable homes ($471k median).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Princeton has the most people working from home (29.5%).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Princeton | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
3,408Lowest |
3,529 |
9,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
46.1±7Highest 15% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Princeton and Sutton 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% |
22.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest 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+ | 15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±3.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Princeton and Sutton 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% |
59.4% MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$158,750±$46k 53% above MA |
$147,125±$25kLowest 42% 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 | $470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$520,500±$48k 7% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$897±$852Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Douglas and Dunstable 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 |
$6,633 11% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
69.8%±46.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 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 | 4.8% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
94.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 22 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.5%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Princeton and Sutton 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 | #59 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Groton-Dunstable | Wachusett | Sutton |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
— | — | 12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.