Compare towns
Dunstable vs Nashua vs Townsend
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 highest household income ($209k).
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).
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 | Nashua | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
91,294Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Highest 7% above U.S. |
40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Dunstable and Townsend 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% |
18.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Townsend 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% |
16.9%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Townsend and Nashua 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$96,326±$5kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$403,900±$11kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Nashua and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 189% above U.S. |
$6,799 118% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Townsend 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% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dunstable and Nashua 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 | #67 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Nashua School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Nashua High School South | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.