Compare towns
Dunstable vs Bedford 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 most homeowners (96.5%).
Bedford has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Nashua has the most affordable homes ($404k median).
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 | Bedford | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
14,727 |
91,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
44.3±1.6Highest 14% above U.S. |
40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bedford and Dunstable 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% |
20.8%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Bedford 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. |
$172,400±$23k 114% above U.S. |
$96,326±$5kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Dunstable and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30k 103% above U.S. |
$898,500±$43kHighest 170% above U.S. |
$403,900±$11kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$2,622±$327Highest 86% above U.S. |
$1,737±$41 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 189% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,799Lowest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±9.5Lowest 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% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #4 of 282 in MA | #7 of 282 in MA | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Bedford | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bedford High | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.