Compare towns
Dracut vs Epping vs Hampstead 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 youngest population (median age 41.7).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Hampstead has the most expensive homes ($521k median).
Middleborough has the most renters (23.1% rent).
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 | Epping | Hampstead | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
7,430Lowest |
9,102 |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1 12% above U.S. |
| Hampstead and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Hampstead 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% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$468,700±$18k 41% above U.S. |
| Hampstead and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,706±$72 21% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Epping 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. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$6,023 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Dracut 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Hampstead 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Epping School District | Hampstead School District | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Epping High School | None in town | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— | 11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.