Compare towns
Dracut vs Needham vs Winchester
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Winchester has the highest household income ($230k).
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 | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
32,459 |
23,406Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
42.5±1.9 6% above MA |
| Needham and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.6%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dracut and Winchester 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 MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
79.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$214,308±$13k 106% above MA |
$230,198±$21kHighest 121% above MA |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$1,215,200±$39kHighest 116% above MA |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,279±$481 29% above MA |
| Needham and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 10% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
39.3%±13.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
33.8%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Winchester 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 | #11 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Needham | Winchester |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Needham High | Winchester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
11.9Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.