Compare towns
Dunstable vs Plainfield vs Sterling vs Groton
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Plainfield | Sterling | Groton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
15,141Highest |
3,629 |
11,390 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Highest 7% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
41.4±2.7 6% above U.S. |
| Dunstable and Groton 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%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
28.3%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Groton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Groton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%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% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 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±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$192,958±$27k 139% above U.S. |
| 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 103% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$743,400±$46kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| 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±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
— | $1,458±$335Highest 3% above U.S. |
| Groton 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. |
$4,551 46% 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% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.8%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Groton 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #39 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Plainfield School District | Sterling School District | Groton-Dunstable |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | 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 | 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.