Compare towns
Dunstable vs Lynn vs Worcester
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).
Lynn has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($374k 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 | Lynn | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
101,709 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Highest 4% above MA |
36.5±1.2 9% below MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lynn and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dunstable and Lynn 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% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$75,043±$3k 28% below MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$510,100±$23k 9% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,722±$60Highest about the MA average |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$5,384 10% below MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
48.1% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #4 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Lynn | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | None in town | Lynn English High | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.0Highest |
14.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.