Compare towns
Topsfield vs Groton vs Dunstable
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Groton has the most people working from home (27.5%).
Dunstable has the most affordable homes ($674k 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 | Topsfield | Groton | Dunstable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,624Lowest |
11,390Highest |
3,408 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±10.9Highest 6% above MA |
41.4±2.7Lowest 4% above MA |
41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
| Topsfield and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28.3%±4.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Groton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8% MA: 47.3% |
70.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $191,146±$21kLowest 84% above MA |
$192,958±$27k 86% above MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
| Dunstable and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $836,600±$60kHighest 49% above MA |
$743,400±$46k 32% above MA |
$674,000±$30kLowest 20% above MA |
| Topsfield and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $994±$841Lowest 44% below MA |
$1,458±$335Highest 17% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
| Groton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,020Lowest 51% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±47.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.8%±17 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.8% MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1987 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.5%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Groton 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 | #172 of 282 in MA | #39 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Groton-Dunstable | Groton-Dunstable |
| High school in town | — | Groton Dunstable Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.