Compare towns
Stoneham vs Dunstable vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Stoneham | Dunstable | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355Highest |
3,408Lowest |
19,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Highest 6% above MA |
41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Stoneham and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Grafton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$131,484±$11k 26% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$525,300±$37kLowest 7% below MA |
| Dunstable and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,325±$637Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,504±$169 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$7,117 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Stoneham and Grafton 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 | #117 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Groton-Dunstable | Grafton |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | None in town | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.