Compare towns

Dunstable vs Topsfield vs Woonsocket

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%).
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% 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.

MeasureDunstableTopsfieldWoonsocket
People
Population
3,408Lowest
6,564
43,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2.4
7% above U.S.
42.2±1.8Highest
8% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
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%±4.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
24.8%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
Topsfield and Woonsocket 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%
22.4%±3.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
62.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
71.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7.1%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
Dunstable and Woonsocket 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.
$195,718±$16k
142% above U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
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
103% above U.S.
$853,400±$40kHighest
157% above U.S.
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,325±$637Highest
6% below U.S.
$1,115±$538Lowest
21% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
Dunstable and Woonsocket 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.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
60%±77.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.9%±40.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Dunstable and Woonsocket 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%
7.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
96.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
90.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1969
11 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
30% above U.S.
28 minLowest
4% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
Work from home
20%±3.9
U.S.: 15.1%
29.4%±8.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
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 #37 of 38 in RI
School district Groton-Dunstable Topsfield RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town None in town None in town Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
15.2
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.