Compare towns
Dracut vs Needham vs Randolph Town
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Randolph Town has the most renters (28.7% 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 | Randolph Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
32,459Lowest |
34,878Highest |
| 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 |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
41.3±1.8Lowest 3% 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Randolph Town and Dracut 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$109,573±$6kLowest 5% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$496,400±$21k 12% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,103±$98 19% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 10% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,644 6% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.1%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Randolph Town and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #260 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Needham | Randolph |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Needham High | Randolph High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
11.9Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| 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.