Compare towns
Dunstable vs Ayer vs Nashua
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Nashua has the shortest commute (26 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 | Dunstable | Ayer | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
8,645 |
91,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Highest 7% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
40±1.3 about the U.S. average |
| Dunstable and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nashua and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$96,326±$5kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$403,900±$11kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 189% above U.S. |
$5,057Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$6,799 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±4.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Dunstable 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Ayer Shirley School District | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.