Compare towns
Dunstable vs Brooklyn vs Windsor Locks vs Paxton
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).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
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 | Brooklyn | Windsor Locks | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
8,517 |
12,579Highest |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Paxton 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% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Brooklyn 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%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Paxton and Windsor Locks 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% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$134,083±$8k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$472,300±$29k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,386±$88 about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 189% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,129 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Windsor Locks 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% |
2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Paxton 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 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Brooklyn School District | Windsor Locks School District | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.