Compare towns
Dracut vs Jay vs Pelham
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 most renters (20.2% rent).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).
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 | Jay | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
471Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Jay 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham 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±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$74,792±$25kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Dracut 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. |
$234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
— | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham 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% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Pelham 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dracut | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.