Compare towns
Dunstable vs Plainfield vs Harvard vs Paxton
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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Paxton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1967).
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 | Plainfield | Harvard | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
15,141Highest |
6,927 |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.1±4.7Highest 13% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3 7% 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% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest 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% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Paxton and Plainfield 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23k 158% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$134,083±$8k 66% 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. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$472,300±$29k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
$1,386±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
| Paxton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 189% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,129 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest 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% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #4 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #12 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Plainfield School District | Harvard | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | The Bromfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.0Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.