Compare towns
Dracut vs Brookline vs Middleborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
Middleborough has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Dracut | Brookline | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
5,736Lowest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Middleborough and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middleborough and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$468,700±$18kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,706±$72Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,023 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 15% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Brookline School District | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 11.3Lowest |
| 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.