Compare towns
Pepperell vs Upton vs Dunstable vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pepperell has the shortest commute (34 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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 | Pepperell | Upton | Dunstable | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,663 |
8,189 |
3,408Lowest |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43.2±2.1 8% above MA |
| Upton and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,073±$12k 19% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$112,828±$11kLowest 9% above MA |
| Dunstable and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$463,900±$24kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,295±$238 27% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,974±$586Highest 12% above MA |
| Lunenburg and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,698 12% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$6,401Lowest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 16% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.1%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Groton-Dunstable | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| 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.