Compare towns
Dracut vs Hanover 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Middleborough has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
8,479Lowest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
43.4±2.1Highest 12% above U.S. |
| 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%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Middleborough 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% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$468,700±$18kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,706±$72Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,023 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #1 of 120 in NH | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | — | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | — | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 11.3Lowest |
| 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.