Compare towns
Dunstable vs Plainfield vs Worcester vs Nashua
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).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).
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 | Worcester | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408 |
1,314 |
831Lowest |
91,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Nashua 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Worcester 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. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$96,326±$5k 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$403,900±$11k 21% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Nashua 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. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,799 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±4.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester 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 | — | — | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.8 |
| 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.