Compare towns
Dunstable vs Ware vs Topsfield
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%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
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 | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
10,048Highest |
6,564 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
42.2±1.8 6% above MA |
| Ware and Topsfield 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield 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% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$195,718±$16k 88% 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Highest 25% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,115±$538 37% below MA |
| Dunstable and Topsfield 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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 MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Highest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Ware | Topsfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.