Compare towns
Dunstable vs Paxton vs Nashua vs Harvard
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 most kids (22.4% under 18).
Paxton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1967).
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% 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 | Paxton | Nashua | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
5,002 |
91,294Highest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.1±4.7Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Harvard 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Harvard 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% |
18.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Paxton 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% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23k 158% above U.S. |
$134,083±$8k 66% above U.S. |
$96,326±$5kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| 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 103% above U.S. |
$472,300±$29k 42% above U.S. |
$403,900±$11kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,386±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,321±$424Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 189% above U.S. |
$7,129 129% above U.S. |
$6,799Lowest 118% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±4.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Dunstable 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% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #4 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA | #67 of 120 in NH | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Wachusett | Nashua School District | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Nashua High School South | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.