Compare towns
Princeton vs Ware vs Dunstable vs Paxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Princeton has the most people working from home (29.5%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Dunstable has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Princeton | Ware | Dunstable | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,529 |
10,048Highest |
3,408Lowest |
5,002 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.1±7Highest 15% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
| Princeton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±3.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Princeton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $158,750±$46k 53% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
| Dunstable and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $520,500±$48k 7% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $897±$852Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,386±$88Highest 21% below MA |
| Paxton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,633 11% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.8%±46.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Princeton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
91.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 25% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
34 min 18% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.5%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Princeton 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 | #59 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Ware | Groton-Dunstable | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.