Compare towns
Dracut vs Middleborough vs Stratham
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%).
Middleborough has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Middleborough | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
24,505 |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% 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%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middleborough and Stratham 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% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dracut and Stratham 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. |
$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$468,700±$18kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,706±$72Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$6,023 93% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #170 of 282 in MA | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dracut | Middleborough | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Middleborough High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.