Compare towns
Dunstable vs Everett vs Lynn vs Topsfield
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 most homeowners (96.5%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Lynn has the most affordable homes ($510k median).
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
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 | Everett | Lynn | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
50,045 |
101,709Highest |
6,564 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
36.5±1.2 9% below MA |
42.2±1.8Highest 6% above MA |
| Topsfield 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Everett 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 101% above MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA |
$195,718±$16k 88% above MA |
| Dunstable and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30k 20% above MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$510,100±$23kLowest 9% below MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,722±$60 about the MA average |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 51% above MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$5,384 10% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
13.8% MA: 10% |
7.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
48.1% MA: 62.5% |
90.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Topsfield 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Everett | Lynn | Topsfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Everett High | Lynn English High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
15.0Highest |
— |
| 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.