Compare towns
Deering vs Dracut vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deering has the most affordable homes ($310k median).
Dracut has the most renters (20.2% rent).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Deering | Dracut | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,938Lowest |
32,574Highest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±5.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Deering and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,250±$16kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,900±$27kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,306±$116Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,223 100% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.9%±27.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #201 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Dracut | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | — | Dracut Senior High | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.