Compare towns
Dunstable vs Gardner vs Sutton vs Upton
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).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
21,148Highest |
9,452 |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dunstable 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% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Gardner 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% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Gardner 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 |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Dunstable and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Highest 25% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Dunstable and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Upton 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% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Sutton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Gardner | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
12.6 |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.