Compare towns
Dracut vs Fall River vs Lawrence vs Middleborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the highest household income ($114k).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Middleborough has the most people working from home (13.6%).
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 | Fall River | Lawrence | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
94,082Highest |
88,736 |
24,505Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 4% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
43.4±2.1Highest 9% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
32% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence 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±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$97,056±$7k 7% below MA |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kHighest 16% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$468,700±$18k 17% below MA |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,706±$72 3% below MA |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 10% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$6,023Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.2%±11.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
76.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.6%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Middleborough and Dracut 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
11.3Lowest |
13.6Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.