Compare towns
Dracut vs Middlesex vs Windham vs Worcester
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 expensive homes ($474k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Windham has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
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 | Middlesex | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
1,943 |
594Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Middlesex 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% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Middlesex 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% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Middlesex 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 41% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Dracut and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
— | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Windham 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Worcester 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Dracut | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.