Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Dunstable vs Middleton 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 most people working from home (20%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Middleton | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,845 |
3,408Lowest |
9,816Highest |
7,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2 7% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±2Highest 8% above MA |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
| Middleton 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% |
17.2%±3Lowest 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%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Halifax 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% |
41.7% 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% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$118,556±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
| Dunstable and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$674,000±$30k 20% above MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
| Middleton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1kHighest 10% above MA |
$1,325±$637Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
| Pinehurst and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316Lowest 5% above MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
$6,840 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Halifax 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% |
3.4%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
96.5% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%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 |
1986 22 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 |
30 min 3% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Dunstable and Halifax 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Groton-Dunstable | Middleton | Halifax |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.