Compare towns
Brookfield vs Dracut vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($261k median).
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 | Brookfield | Dracut | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
32,574Highest |
1,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
54.1±12.1Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chelsea and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dracut and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$65,913±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Dracut and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$260,900±$39kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,524±$467 8% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.3%±33.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chelsea and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Chelsea 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 | — | #201 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Dracut | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.