Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Dunstable vs Burlington vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pinehurst has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Halifax has the most affordable homes ($482k median).
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 | Pinehurst | Dunstable | Burlington | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,845 |
3,408Lowest |
26,274Highest |
7,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2 7% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27k 41% above MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
$118,556±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$674,000±$30k 20% above MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
$481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$1,325±$637Lowest 25% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316 5% above MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
$6,840 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.9% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
96.5% MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Burlington 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 | #83 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Groton-Dunstable | Burlington | Halifax |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Burlington High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.