Compare towns
Douglas vs Dunstable vs Topsfield
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 most homeowners (96.5%).
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
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 | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207Highest |
3,408Lowest |
6,564 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
42.2±1.8 6% above MA |
| Douglas and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Dunstable 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% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4% MA: 47.3% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest 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±$10kLowest 46% above MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$195,718±$16k 88% above MA |
| Dunstable and Topsfield 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±$30k 20% above MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% 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 |
$9,020 51% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Topsfield 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% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 22 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Topsfield 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 | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Groton-Dunstable | Topsfield |
| 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.