The Town FilesDunstable, Massachusetts
Town in Middlesex County · population 3,358 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $674,000
- Household income
- $208,512
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 53 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 41.5
Dunstable is a town of 3,358 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $674,000, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for families than 99% of Massachusetts towns, more upscale than 85% of Massachusetts towns, easier by car than 70% of Massachusetts towns.
How Dunstable ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dunstable is worth $674,000, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $208,512, which is more affordable than 95% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,325 a month. 96.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dunstable | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $674,000 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,325 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $208,512 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 96.5% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Dunstable
| People | Dunstable | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.0% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.4% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.5% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.7% | — |
| Work from home | 20.0% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 34.3 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Dunstable
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 13.8°F. About 46.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 52.9 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunstable since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 3, 1970 about 7.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 5 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 5, 1984.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 4, 2015.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 926,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $113,704 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Dunstable itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Dunstable
1 public school with 320 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swallow/Union School | K-4 | 320 | 13.3 |
Towns near Dunstable
- Tyngsborough, MA3.7 mi · 12,380 people · home $552,500
- Nashua, NH5.1 mi · 91,322 people · home $403,900
- Pepperell, MA5.3 mi · 11,604 people · home $482,100
- Groton, MA5.5 mi · 11,315 people · home $743,400
- Hollis, NH6.7 mi · 8,342 people · home $675,900
- Westford, MA7.0 mi · 24,643 people · home $748,500
- Hudson, NH7.0 mi · 7,534 people · home $366,400
- Hudson, NH7.4 mi · 25,394 people · home $438,900
Dunstable questions
Is Dunstable, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dunstable scores better for retirees than 32% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 69%. 15.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).
How much does a house cost in Dunstable?
The median owner-occupied home in Dunstable is valued at $674,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $208,512, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,325 a month.
What is the weather like in Dunstable?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 13.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.2 inches of precipitation a year and 52.9 inches of snow.
Does Dunstable get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunstable since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 3, 1970. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)