Compare towns
Middlesex vs Saugus vs Dummerston vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Saugus has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
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 | Middlesex | Saugus | Dummerston | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
28,773Highest |
2,090 |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$6,049 94% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saugus and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Dummerston 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 | — | #194 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Saugus | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Saugus High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.5 |
— | — |
| 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.