Compare towns
Dracut vs Exeter vs Needham
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).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
16,151Lowest |
32,459 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Needham 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±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Needham |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Exeter High School | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
12.1 |
11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.