Dunstable, MA: town finances
Fair finances; below-typical savings (6% of budget vs 7.3% typical); 3 override votes since 2016; another override vote likely.
Budget grade
Better than 47% of MA towns · score 78 of 100
± Borderline: the score is within 2 points of the B/C cutoff, so a small change in the data could move the budget grade.
Ability to pay
Above the state median for income and property value
Shown separately; not part of the budget grade. Income per resident $73,632 (Census ACS 2020-24); property value (EQV) per resident $252,578 (DLS 2024).
Chance of an override vote
6 points on our 0-8 scale: Low 0-2, Medium 3-4, High 5+. It ranks towns; it is not a percentage.
Key numbers
| Measure | Dunstable | Median MA town |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tax bill, FY2026 (average single-family) | $9,982 | $6,755 |
| Tax bill as a share of median household income | 4.8% | 6.4% |
| Tax bill growth per year, FY2016-26 | 4.05% | 3.95% |
| Override vote dates, last 5 years | Yes (2 votes, 1 failed) | 35% of towns had one |
| Savings (reserves), % of budget, FY2024-26 average | 6.0% | 7.3% |
| Debt, % of property value, FY2023-25 (voter-approved debt at half weight) | 0.29% | 0.70% |
| Debt payments inside the tax cap, % of budget | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Unused room under the tax cap, FY2026 (% of max levy) | 0.22% | 0.34% |
| School enrollment, 5-year change | 0% | -2% |
| Students per teacher, 2025-26 | 13.5 | 11.4 |
| Median single-family sale price, 2024 | $895k (27 sales) | $614k |
| Single-family price change, 2019-24 | +52.7% | +52.8% |
| Median household income (Census, 2020-24) | $208,512 | $113,750 |
| Population (DLS) | 3,355 | 10,585 |
Main school district: Groton-Dunstable (regional district shared with 2 towns). Shaded = worse than the median town on tax bill share or enrollment. Medians are across all 351 towns with data.
Why this budget grade
Budget grade C, fair (78/100, near the B/C line; better than 47% of MA towns): reserves averaged 6% of budget over FY2024-26 (state median 7.3%); debt 0.29% of property value with voter-approved debt at half weight (0.41% before; median 0.70%); debt payments inside the tax cap 0.6% of budget (median 1.3%). Voter-approved amounts exceed its general-fund debt payments (often regional school debt), so the state median share is used.
Why this chance of an override vote
Chance of an override vote: High (6 pts): almost no unused room under the tax cap (0.22% of max levy, +3); override votes since July 2016, latest 2025-05 (+2); voter-approved debt or capital increase passed since July 2021 (+1).
Context, not scored
Teacher jobs -2.5% last year; enrollment 0% over 5 yrs; regional district shared with 2 towns; tax bill 4.8% of median income (state median 6.4%).
"pts" are points toward the chance of an override vote. Max levy is the most the town can raise without a vote under Prop 2½. See how the budget grade works.
Override votes since July 2016
| Vote date | Result | Amount | Purpose (as listed by DLS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2025 | Passed | $480,841 | Operating Budget Of Town And Schools |
| Apr 2, 2024 | Failed | $2,074,351 | Operating Budget Of Town And Schools |
| May 18, 2021 | Passed | $125,000 | Fund Police Budget |
Source: MA DLS Proposition 2½ override vote file, as of 25 Oct 2026. One ballot can carry several questions.
See this town in the full data table →