Compare towns
Dunstable vs Woonsocket vs Topsfield vs Paxton
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).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Topsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Woonsocket | Topsfield | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
43,521Highest |
6,564 |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 7% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
42.2±1.8Highest 8% above U.S. |
41.8±3.3 7% above U.S. |
| Topsfield 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
24.8%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsfield 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
71.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.9%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$195,718±$16k 142% above U.S. |
$134,083±$8k 66% above U.S. |
| 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 103% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$853,400±$40kHighest 157% above U.S. |
$472,300±$29k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,115±$538Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,386±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
| Paxton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 189% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,129 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Woonsocket 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% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.4%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsfield 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #172 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Topsfield | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2 |
— | — |
| 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.