Compare towns
Dunstable vs Townshend vs Windham vs Pepperell
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).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Pepperell has the oldest housing (typical home built 1981).
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 | Townshend | Windham | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408 |
1,538 |
594Lowest |
11,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 7% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
42.4±3.3 9% above U.S. |
| Townshend and Windham 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% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Pepperell 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% |
19.3%±6.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Townshend 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% |
52.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Pepperell 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. |
$78,750±$29kLowest about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$124,073±$12k 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$287,200±$79kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$482,100±$14k 45% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,074±$80Lowest 24% below U.S. |
— | $1,295±$238 8% below U.S. |
| Dunstable and Pepperell 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. |
$5,364Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$6,698 115% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend 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% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend and Windham 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 | — | — | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.1 |
— | — |
| 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.