Compare towns
Dunstable vs Bow vs Princeton
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 expensive homes ($674k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Princeton has the most people working from home (29.5%).
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 | Dunstable | Bow | Princeton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
8,335Highest |
3,529 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.1±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Princeton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dunstable 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% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Princeton and Bow 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% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Bow 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. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$158,750±$46kLowest 97% above U.S. |
| Dunstable and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$520,500±$48k 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$897±$852Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Bow and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 189% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,633Lowest 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.8%±46.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Princeton and Dunstable 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% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.5%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Princeton and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #59 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Bow School District | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.