Compare towns
Dunstable vs Orange vs Ware vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunstable has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Orange | Ware | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
7,573Highest |
6,369 |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
| Harvard and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Dunstable 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% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Ware 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% |
15.7% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23k 101% above MA |
$55,824±$10k 46% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Harvard and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30k 20% above MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Highest 25% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
| Dunstable and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 51% above MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Ware 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% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #4 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.