Compare towns

Dunstable vs Maynard 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).
Maynard has the most renters (25% rent).
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).

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.

MeasureDunstableMaynardPaxton
People
Population
3,408Lowest
10,712Highest
5,002
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.6%
MA: +7.4%
+6.3%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+4.1%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2.4Lowest
4% above MA
45.3±4.3Highest
13% above MA
41.8±3.3
4% above MA
Maynard and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22.4%±4.3Highest
MA: 19.4%
16.9%±4.3Lowest
MA: 19.4%
17.4%±3.6
MA: 19.4%
Dunstable and Paxton 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%
18.2%±3.3
MA: 17.9%
18.4%±3.4Highest
MA: 17.9%
Paxton and Maynard 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%
64.2%Highest
MA: 47.3%
54.7%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7.1%±2.5
MA: 7.9%
3.5%±1.5Lowest
MA: 7.9%
15.9%±1.9Highest
MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$208,512±$23kHighest
101% above MA
$124,067±$16kLowest
19% above MA
$134,083±$8k
29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$674,000±$30kHighest
20% above MA
$527,400±$31k
6% below MA
$472,300±$29kLowest
16% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,325±$637Lowest
25% below MA
$1,800±$148Highest
about the MA average
$1,386±$88
21% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,020Highest
51% above MA
$8,266
38% above MA
$7,129Lowest
19% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
60%±77.1Highest
MA: 51.8%
44.9%±9.6
MA: 51.8%
26.2%±15.7Lowest
MA: 51.8%
Dunstable and Maynard 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%
8.3%Highest
MA: 10%
1.4%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
96.5%Highest
MA: 62.5%
75%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
91.8%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
23 yrs newer than MA
1963Lowest
1 yr older than MA
1967
3 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
18% above MA
32 min
9% above MA
31 minLowest
5% above MA
Work from home
20%±3.9Lowest
MA: 18.6%
22.9%±7.7
MA: 18.6%
25.5%±5.1Highest
MA: 18.6%
Paxton and Maynard 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 #166 of 282 in MA #219 of 282 in MA
School district Groton-Dunstable Maynard Wachusett
High school in town None in town Maynard High None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
9.7
—
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.