Compare towns
Dunstable vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Paxton
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wells has the most renters (9.9% rent).
Paxton has the most affordable homes ($472k 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 | Ogunquit | Wells | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 7% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Wells 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$134,083±$8k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30k 103% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$472,300±$29kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
— | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,386±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
| Paxton and Wells 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. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$7,129 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.2%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Wells 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #4 of 282 in MA | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.