Compare towns
Dunstable vs Dedham vs Pepperell vs Paxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
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 | Dedham | Pepperell | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
25,237Highest |
11,663 |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
| Dedham and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Paxton 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 MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$124,073±$12kLowest 19% above MA |
$134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
$472,300±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
| Dunstable and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,295±$238Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,386±$88 21% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$6,698Lowest 12% above MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
8%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
91.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
34 min 16% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Dedham | North Middlesex | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.