Compare towns
Dunstable vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Nashua
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).
Northbridge has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Northbridge | Upton | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
16,458 |
8,189 |
91,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Dunstable 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% |
16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Nashua 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. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$96,326±$5kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Dunstable and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$403,900±$11kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Nashua and Dunstable 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. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$6,799 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Upton 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Dunstable 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.