Compare towns
Dunstable vs Putnam vs Plainfield vs Harvard
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%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Putnam | Plainfield | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
9,292 |
15,141Highest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.1±4.7Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Putnam 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% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 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% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam 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% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest 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±$23k 158% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% 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. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
| Dunstable and Harvard 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. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest 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% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #4 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Putnam School District | Plainfield School District | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Plainfield High School | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
10.3 |
11.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.