Compare towns
Dunstable vs Paxton vs Rye
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).
Paxton has the most affordable homes ($472k median).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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 | Paxton | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
5,002 |
5,611Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Rye 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%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% 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% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$134,083±$8kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30k 103% above U.S. |
$472,300±$29kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,386±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 189% above U.S. |
$7,129Lowest 129% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Rye 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% |
6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye and Paxton 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 | #219 of 282 in MA | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Wachusett | Rye School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.