Compare towns
Barrington vs Bow vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barrington has the most affordable homes ($399k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Barrington | Bow | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,489 |
8,335Lowest |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±2.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,323±$14kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $399,100±$30kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
| Bow and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,867±$194Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Barrington and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,121 128% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.1%±25.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barrington and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Barrington 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 | #65 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Barrington School District | Bow School District | Dracut |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.