Dunstable vs Pepperell
You are paying about $250k more for a 4BR in Dunstable, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $250k for one tier of schooling.
Dunstable is about 6 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Pepperell works out roughly $3,400 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Dunstable if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most.
All Dunstable numbers →Choose Pepperell if you want the lower price.
All Pepperell numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Dunstable | Pepperell | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | strong schoolsT2 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS percentile | 82nd | 43rd |
| Niche district rank | 40th of 236 | 134th of 236 |
| 4BR house | $800kT2 | $550kT1 |
| 2BR condo | $450k | $315k |
| Commute to Boston | 70 minT4 | 76 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Tax rate | $13.50T3 | $13.50T3 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$10,800 | ≈$7,400 |
| 3BR rent | $2,967/mo | $3,080/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
