Compare towns
Dunstable vs Groton vs Ware 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).
Groton has the most kids (28.3% under 18).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Groton | Ware | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
11,390Highest |
10,048 |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
41.4±2.7Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
| Ware and Paxton 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% |
28.3%±4.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Groton 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% |
17.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% MA: 47.3% |
70.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$192,958±$27k 86% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
| Dunstable and Groton 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 |
$743,400±$46kHighest 32% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
| Groton and Dunstable 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 |
$1,458±$335Highest 17% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,386±$88 21% below MA |
| Groton and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 51% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
43.8%±17 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 23 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
27.5%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Groton and Paxton 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 | #39 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Groton-Dunstable | Ware | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Groton Dunstable Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.7Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.