Compare towns
Dunstable vs Fall River vs Lawrence 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).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
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 | Fall River | Lawrence | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
94,082Highest |
88,736 |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
41.8±3.3Highest 4% above MA |
| Paxton 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% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Dunstable 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% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Paxton and Fall River 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% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
54.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,386±$88 21% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence 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 MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
13.6Highest |
— |
| 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.