Compare towns
Dracut vs Peabody 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%).
Peabody has the most expensive homes ($596k median).
Middleborough has the most people working from home (13.6%).
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 | Peabody | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
54,695Highest |
24,505Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
43.4±2.1 9% above MA |
| Peabody and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35% MA: 47.3% |
32%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dracut and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$97,056±$7k 7% below MA |
| Dracut and Middleborough 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 |
$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
$468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 4% above MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,706±$72Lowest 3% below MA |
| Peabody and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 10% below MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,023Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.2%±11.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody 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% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
76.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.6%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Middleborough and Dracut 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Peabody | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.3 |
| 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.