Compare towns
Dunstable vs Hanover vs Harvard
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 most affordable homes ($674k median).
Hanover has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
11,685Highest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
44.1±4.7Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Harvard 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% |
19.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hanover and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23k 158% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kLowest 110% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kLowest 103% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61k 148% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,321±$424Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Lowest 189% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Hanover 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% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #4 of 282 in MA | #1 of 120 in NH | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.