Compare towns
Dracut vs Needham vs Pelham
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 affordable homes ($474k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Pelham has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
32,459 |
14,449Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| 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%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham 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±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dracut | Needham | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Needham High | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.9 |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.