Compare towns
Dunstable vs Topsfield vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunstable has the most homeowners (96.5%).
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
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 | Topsfield | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
6,564 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
42.2±1.8Highest 6% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Topsfield and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% MA: 47.3% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Townsend 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 101% above MA |
$195,718±$16k 88% above MA |
$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA |
| Dunstable and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30k 20% above MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
| Townsend and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 51% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,031Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
7.5% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.4% MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Topsfield 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 | #172 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Topsfield | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.