Compare towns
Dracut vs Exeter vs Bow 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Exeter | Bow | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
16,151 |
8,335Lowest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1 12% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Middleborough 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Middleborough 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% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bow 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$468,700±$18k 41% above U.S. |
| Bow and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,706±$72 21% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,023 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Exeter High School | Bow High School | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
12.1 |
12.8 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.