Compare towns
Dunstable vs Gardner vs Sutton vs Nashua
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).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Nashua has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Gardner | Sutton | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
21,148 |
9,452 |
91,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Sutton and Gardner 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% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Sutton 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% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Sutton 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Nashua 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. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$96,326±$5k 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$403,900±$11k 21% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Nashua and Dunstable 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. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$6,799 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Gardner 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% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Gardner | Sutton | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Sutton High School | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
12.6Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.