Compare towns
Derry 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
Derry has the most renters (29.8% rent).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Derry | Dracut | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 34,116Highest |
32,574 |
14,449Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±1.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±2.1Lowest 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+ | 15.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Derry and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,944±$7kLowest 35% 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 | $432,000±$17kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,547±$138 9% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,103 160% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±9Lowest 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 | 4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #60 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Dracut | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Pinkerton Academy | Dracut Senior High | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.9Highest |
12.9 |
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.