Compare towns
Dracut vs Durham vs Sidney
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 most expensive homes ($474k median).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Durham | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
4,262Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.6±5.9 10% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Durham 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% |
19.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney 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% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sidney 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dracut and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$99,181±$5k 23% above U.S. |
$83,488±$10kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$322,200±$34kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
— | $1,340±$304Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$3,781 21% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±40.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Durham 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% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Sidney 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dracut | RSU 05 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | 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.