Compare towns

Bow vs Dracut vs Everett vs Brookline

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).

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.

MeasureBowDracutEverettBrookline
People
Population
8,335
32,574
50,045Highest
5,736Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+17.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+13%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
41.7±2Highest
7% above U.S.
35.2±1.5Lowest
10% below U.S.
41.2±1.5
6% 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
25%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
21.4%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±2.1
U.S.: 22%
26.7%±4Highest
U.S.: 22%
Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
18.2%±2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
11.3%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
11.4%±2.1
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+
60.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
24.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
57.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$172,857±$16kHighest
114% above U.S.
$114,036±$10k
41% above U.S.
$85,218±$7kLowest
6% above U.S.
$171,046±$4k
112% above U.S.
Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34k
52% above U.S.
$473,900±$17kLowest
42% above U.S.
$610,000±$23kHighest
83% above U.S.
$544,400±$38k
64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178Lowest
9% above U.S.
$1,839±$130
30% above U.S.
$2,076±$69
47% above U.S.
$2,500±$1kHighest
77% above U.S.
Brookline and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584
207% above U.S.
$5,375
72% above U.S.
$4,880Lowest
56% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
57.6%±7.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
56.4%±5.8
U.S.: 51.1%
23.8%±43.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Dracut and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
2.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
14.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
0.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
30 min
15% above U.S.
35 minHighest
33% above U.S.
33 min
26% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
11.4%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
24.7%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookline and Bow 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 #26 of 120 in NH #201 of 282 in MA #264 of 282 in MA #23 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District Dracut Everett Brookline School District
High school in town Bow High School Dracut Senior High Everett High None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8
12.9Highest
12.1Lowest
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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.