Compare towns
Dunstable vs Upton vs Paxton
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 highest household income ($209k).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Paxton has the most affordable homes ($472k 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 | Upton | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
8,189Highest |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
| Upton and Paxton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Paxton 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 MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$134,083±$8kLowest 29% above MA |
| Dunstable and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$472,300±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,386±$88Highest 21% below MA |
| Paxton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,129Lowest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Upton 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% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Paxton and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.