Compare towns
Dunstable vs Williston vs Paxton vs Harvard
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 kids (22.4% under 18).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Paxton has the most affordable homes ($472k median).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Williston | Paxton | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
10,144Highest |
5,002 |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
| Williston and Harvard 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Harvard 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% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23k 158% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$134,083±$8k 66% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Dunstable 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. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$472,300±$29kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,386±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,321±$424Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 189% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$7,129 129% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #4 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT | #219 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Wachusett | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.