Compare towns
Dunstable vs Plainfield vs Putnam vs Topsfield
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 homeowners (96.5%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
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 | Putnam | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
15,141Highest |
9,292 |
6,564 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.2±1.8 8% above U.S. |
| Putnam and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.8%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsfield and Dunstable 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% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
71.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Plainfield 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 158% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$195,718±$16k 142% above U.S. |
| Dunstable and Topsfield 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±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$853,400±$40kHighest 157% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,115±$538Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Dunstable and Plainfield 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Topsfield 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.4%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsfield 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Plainfield School District | Putnam School District | Topsfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Putnam High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Highest |
9.5Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.