Compare towns
Dunstable vs Rye vs Townsend 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 highest household income ($209k).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
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 | Rye | Townsend | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
5,611 |
9,100Highest |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Townsend 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$134,083±$8k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30k 103% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$472,300±$29k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,386±$88 about the U.S. average |
| Rye and Townsend 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. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$7,129 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Townsend 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% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 9% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye and Paxton 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Rye School District | North Middlesex | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.