Northern Middlesex Council of Governments  

 

 

 



 

 

Town of Dunstable


Serving the communities of Greater Lowell Massachusetts.
 

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Billerica
Chelmsford
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Dunstable
Lowell
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Tewksbury
Tyngsborough
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INCORPORATED 1673

TOTAL AREA: 16.74 Square Miles

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Board of Selectmen/
Open Town Meeting

Dunstable's website

TOWN SERVICES:  

TOWN CONTACTS: (as of August 2011)  

Board of Selectmen: (978) 649-4514 x224  select-board@dunstable-ma.gov

Walter Alterisio - Chair Daniel Devlin Ken Leva

Planning Board: (978) 649-4514 x230 planning@dunstable-ma.gov

George J. Basbanes Willard J. Goldthwaite Jr. Brett Rock
Joan Simmons Joseph Vicek  

Conservation Commission: (978) 649-4514 x230 concom@dunstable-ma.gov

Juan Amodei Leah D. Basbanes Alan Chaney
Jeffrey Haight Judith K. Larter William Moeller
Marilyn Pike    

Road Commisioners: (978) 649-4514 x227  roads@dunstable-ma.gov  

Thomas E. Dumont David Crandell Michael Martin

Water Commision: (978) 649-4514 x230  waterdept@dunstable-ma.gov

Karl Huber - Chair Robert Gamache Peter Georges

Town Department Contacts

Town Clerk Carol Skerret (978) 649-4514 x222
Treasurer/Collector Bonnie Ricardelli (978) 649-4514 x228
Building Inspector Dana Barnes (978) 649-4514 x226
Chief of Police Chief James Downes III (978) 649-7445
Chief of Fire Department Chief Charles Rich Jr. (978) 649-6661

Public Water Systems:
The majority of Dunstable’s homes and businesses use private wells. Public water is available in the town center area servicing about 5% of the town population. Public water source is the Salmon Brook aquifer north of Main St. Average of 25,000 gallons per day is pumped. 

Trash Collection:
The Town has a trash transfer station and recycling drop – off facility. 

Sewer:
There is no public sewer available within Dunstable. All waste treatment is handled through onsite septic systems. 

Library:
Circulation at the Dunstable Free Public Library in FY99 was 26,478 items. Holdings total approximately 27,000 volumes. 

Schools:
Dunstable is a member of the Groton – Dunstable Regional School District made up of 4 elementary schools, 1 middle school and 1 high school. School system 1997 – 98 enrollments: 2,258 pupils, Dunstable is also member community for the Greater Lowell Vocational Technical High School, which had 1997-98 enrollments of 1,931 pupils. 

Public Safety:
6 permanent uniformed officers staff Dunstable Police Dept. The Town has a volunteer Fire Dept. of 21 people. 

Chief of Police: Chief James Downes III, Business: (978) 649-7445

Chief of Fire Department: Chief Charles Rich Jr., (978) 649-6661

Rail:
Commuter rail service to North Station, Boston, is available at Lowell Gallagher Terminal or North Billerica Station (Travel time 40 minutes). Freight rail service is available from the Springfield Terminal Railway, contact number: (978) 663 – 1073 

Bus:
Dunstable is a member of the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA). Fixed bus service is provided, and paratransit services, including medical trip to Boston, are available for the elderly and disabled through LRTA’s Roadrunner program.   

FY2011 TAX RATE: Residential - $14.62 per $1,000, Commercial- $14.62 per $1,000

Community Census Profiles:  2010 Census data  is currently becoming available in sections.  Tables will be updated as new data is received.  The 2000 Census Tables that have not been updated as of yet will remain below. Updated 1/25/12.

2010 Population Trends: Includes Community Population, Population by Age and Population by Race,

2010 Housing Profile: Includes Housing Units, Housing Occupancy, and Housing Tenure

2010 Household Relationship Profile: Includes Number of Households, Household Relationships, and Households by Type

 

Other Census Trends – DUNSTABLE 
(Updated May 25, 2002)

Poverty Status (2000 U.S. Census) 

Persons Below Poverty Level:

Dunstable

Mass.

55

573,421

1.9%

9.3%

Income Distribution (2000 U.S. Census) 

 

Households

%

Less than $ 10,000

17

1.8

$ 10,000 - $ 14,999

13

1.6

$ 15,000 - $ 24,999

16

2.0

$ 25,000 - $ 34,999

35

3.7

$ 35,000 - $ 49,999

88

9.4

$ 50,000 - $ 74,999

165

17.6

$ 75,000 - $ 99,999

235

25.1

$ 100,000 - $ 149,999

196

20.9

$ 150,000 - $ 199,999

91

9.7

$ 200,000 or more

43

4.6

Sources of Income (2000 U.S. Census) 

 

# Of Households

Average Income

Wage & Salary

871

$88,726

Social Security

152

$11,026

Supplemental Security

7

$12,543

Public Assistance

4

$500

Retirement

127

$18,321

HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS 

Median Household Income (2000 U.S. Census) 

1970

1980

1990

2000

$10,000

$24,071

$59,019

$88,633

Median Home Sale Price (Banker & Tradesman) 

 

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

1 – Family

$182,500

$163,000

$183,500

$228,400

$282,500

Condo

0

0

0

0

0

All Sales

$150,000

$136,000

$154,500

$156,500

$300,000

Housing Unit Permit Data 

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

12

28

26

17

32

23

LAND USE CLASSIFICATION (Mass. GIS 1991)

DUNSTABLE LAND USE

   ACREAGE

% OF TOTAL

Residential

1,228.29 Acres

11.4

Commercial

68.07 Acres

0.6%

Industrial

0 Acres

0.0%

Agriculture

1,318.47 Acres

12.3%

Open Space/ Recreation

7,929.95 Acres

73.9%

Transportation/Mining/Waste

189.11 Acres

1.8%

Water

0 Acres

0 %

TOTAL ACREAGE

10,733.9 Acres

100%

RECREATION 

Dunstable Recreation Commission
59 Lower Dam Way
Dunstable, Ma 01827
Brain LoCapo – Coordinator 

Recreational Facilities

Department of Environmental Management 

Town Forest (119 Acres)
Cross country skiing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, nature observation, and snowmobiling 

Cambridge YMCA (106 Acres)
Non-motorized boating, cross country skiing, fresh water fishing, swimming, hiking, nature observation, target archery. 

Spaulding Proctor (91 Acres)
Non-motorized boating, Non-motorized boating, cross country skiing, fresh water fishing, swimming, hiking, nature observation. 

Salmon Brook Area (35 Acres)
Fresh water fishing, hiking, hunting, nature observation. 

Spectal Hill Lot (23 Acres)
Cross country skiing, hiking, hunting, nature observation 

Swallow/Union School Area 913 Acres)
Fresh water fishing, hiking, nature observation, tennis 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

Employment Base – 2000

LABOR FORCE – 2000

1,705

# Residents Employed

1,671

# Residents Unemployed

34

Dunstable Unemployment Rate

2.0%

NMCOG Region Unemployment Rate

2.5%

State Unemployment Rate 

2.6%

Employment by Industry Sector – 2001 (Mass Division of Employment & Training ES - 202 Series)

Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing

conf

Government

105

Construction

 84

Manufacturing

   0 

TCPU

   0

Trade

 54

FIRE

   0

Services

 22

Total Employment/Dunstable

274

TCPU = Transportation, Communication and Public Utilities
FIRE = Finance, Insurance and Real Estate
conf = Data suppressed due to confidentiality

Means Of Transportation To Work - 2000 (Census Transportation Planning Package 2000)

Subject

1990 Census 2000 Census Change 1990 to 2000

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Workers 16 years & over 1,212 100.0 1,550 100.0 338 27.9
Drove alone 1,052 86.8 1,353 87.3 301 28.6
Carpooled 83 6.8 87 5.6 4 4.8
Public transportation (including taxicab) 10 0.8 8 0.5 -2 -20.0
Bicycle or walked 13 1.1 5 0.3 -8 -61.5
Worked at home 54 4.5 97 6.3 43 79.6

Travel Time To Work - 2000 (Census Transportation Planning Package 2000)

Subject

1990 Census 2000 Census Change 1990 to 2000
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Workers who did not work at home 1,158 100.0 1,453 100.0 295 25.5
Less than 5 minutes 26 2.2 25 1.7 -1 -3.8
5 to 9 minutes 43 3.7 45 3.1 2 4.7
10 to 14 minutes 113 9.8 109 7.5 -4 -3.5
15 to 19 minutes 117 10.1 190 13.1 73 62.4
20 to 29 minutes 293 25.3 343 23.6 50 17.1
30 to 44 minutes 333 28.8 406 27.9 73 21.9
45 or more minutes 233 20.1 335 23.1 102 43.8
Mean travel time to work (minutes) 28.8 X 32.3 X 3.5 X

MEDIA:

Lowell Sun
15 Kearney Square, Lowell, 458 – 7100 

Neighbor to Neighbor
64 Hardy St., Dunstable   

The Merrimack Journal
1794 Bridge Street, Unit 27B, Dracut, Ma 01826  Phone: (978) 441-2770

REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCY:  

Northern Middlesex Council of Governments
40 Church Street Suite 200 Lowell MA 01852
Beverly Woods, Executive Director
Phone: (978) 454 – 8021
Fax: (978) 454 – 8023