Compare towns
Dracut vs Methuen vs Needham
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 affordable homes ($474k median).
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
53,475Highest |
32,459Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 4% above MA |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
| Needham 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% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Dracut and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen 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 10% above MA |
$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
$499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 4% above MA |
$1,749±$91Lowest about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 10% below MA |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Methuen | Needham |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Methuen High | Needham 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.