Compare towns
Dunstable vs Spencer 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).
Spencer has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
Nashua has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Spencer | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
12,008 |
91,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Spencer and Dunstable 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% |
16.4%±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% |
26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Spencer 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. |
$80,533±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$96,326±$5k 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$382,000±$22kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$403,900±$11k 21% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,078±$161Lowest 24% 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. |
$4,387Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$6,799 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Spencer 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dunstable and Nashua 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 | #261 of 282 in MA | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Spencer-E Brookfield | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | None in town | David Prouty High | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.