Compare towns
Dracut vs North Reading vs Middleborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).
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 | North Reading | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
15,765Lowest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
43.4±2.1Highest 9% above MA |
| Middleborough and North Reading 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% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| North Reading and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Middleborough 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% |
56.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dracut and North Reading 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 10% above MA |
$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$97,056±$7kLowest 7% below MA |
| North Reading and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 16% below MA |
$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA |
$468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 4% above MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$1,706±$72Lowest 3% below MA |
| North Reading and Dracut 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 |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$6,023 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.2%±11.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading 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 MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
76.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.6%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | North Reading | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | North Reading High | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.1Lowest |
11.3 |
| 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.