Compare towns
Dracut vs Needham vs Ogunquit vs Middleborough
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 youngest population (median age 41.7).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Middleborough has the most renters (23.1% rent).
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 | Needham | Ogunquit | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
32,459 |
1,379Lowest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$468,700±$18kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $1,706±$72Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,023 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Middleborough 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | — | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Needham | — | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Needham High | — | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.9 |
— | 11.3Lowest |
| 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.