Compare towns
Dracut vs Methuen vs Milford
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 most homeowners (79.8%).
Methuen has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Milford has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Methuen | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
53,475Highest |
30,431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +8.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Highest 4% above MA |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
38.9±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Dracut and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dracut and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Milford 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% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen 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 |
$113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
$96,365±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
| Dracut and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA |
$476,700±$12k 15% below MA |
| Methuen and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 4% above MA |
$1,749±$91Lowest about the MA average |
$1,909±$137Highest 8% above MA |
| Milford and Dracut 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 |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
$5,869Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
65.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Milford and Methuen 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 | #236 of 282 in MA | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Methuen | Milford |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Methuen High | Milford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
13.1Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.