Compare towns
Dunstable vs Peabody vs Groton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunstable has the most homeowners (96.5%).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Groton has the most people working from home (27.5%).
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 | Peabody | Groton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
54,695Highest |
11,390 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
41.4±2.7Lowest 4% above MA |
| Peabody and Dunstable 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% |
18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28.3%±4.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Groton 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% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$192,958±$27k 86% above MA |
| Dunstable and Groton 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 |
$596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$743,400±$46kHighest 32% above MA |
| Groton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,458±$335 17% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 51% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
43.8%±17Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Peabody 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% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 23 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.5%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Groton 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #39 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Peabody | Groton-Dunstable |
| High school in town | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Groton Dunstable Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
13.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.