Compare towns
Dunstable vs Sutton vs Mendon 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).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Sutton | Mendon | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
9,452 |
6,325 |
91,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Sutton and Mendon 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% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Dunstable 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% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Nashua 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% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Mendon 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. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$96,326±$5kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37k 85% above U.S. |
$403,900±$11kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Dunstable and Mendon 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. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,737±$41 23% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Nashua 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. |
$6,763Lowest 117% above U.S. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
$6,799 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Sutton | Mendon-Upton | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.