Compare towns
Dunstable vs Heath vs Plainfield 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).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (98%).
Paxton has the shortest commute (31 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 | Heath | Plainfield | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408 |
765 |
616Lowest |
5,002Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
| Heath and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Plainfield 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% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Plainfield 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% |
46.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6% MA: 47.3% |
54.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 25% below MA |
— | $1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,386±$88Highest 21% below MA |
| Paxton and Dunstable 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 |
$4,438Lowest 26% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Heath 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% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5% MA: 62.5% |
88.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
91.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Plainfield 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 | — | — | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | — | — | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.