Compare towns
Dunstable vs Ware vs Paxton vs Princeton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunstable has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Princeton has the most people working from home (29.5%).
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 | Ware | Paxton | Princeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
10,048Highest |
5,002 |
3,529 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
46.1±7Highest 15% above MA |
| Princeton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Princeton 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±3.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Princeton and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.7% MA: 47.3% |
59.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
$158,750±$46k 53% above MA |
| Dunstable and Princeton 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
$520,500±$48k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,386±$88Highest 21% below MA |
$897±$852Lowest 49% 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
$6,633 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69.8%±46.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Princeton and Ware 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8% MA: 62.5% |
94.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
29.5%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Princeton and Paxton 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA | #59 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Ware | Wachusett | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.