Compare towns
Dunstable vs Paxton vs Thompson
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 people working from home (25.5%).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k 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 | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
5,002 |
9,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Paxton 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% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Paxton 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% |
21.9%Lowest 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% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$134,083±$8k 66% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$472,300±$29k 42% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,386±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Paxton 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. |
$7,129 129% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% 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% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Thompson 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% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Paxton 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 | #219 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Wachusett | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.9 |
| 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.