Compare towns
Dracut vs Pelham vs Salem vs Tewksbury
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
Tewksbury has the most expensive homes ($574k median).
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 | Pelham | Salem | Tewksbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
14,449Lowest |
30,964 |
31,273 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7 15% above U.S. |
46.1±2.5Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Tewksbury and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Tewksbury and Salem 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% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham 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±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$110,490±$9kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$128,061±$12k 59% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Tewksbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$573,600±$16kHighest 72% above U.S. |
| Tewksbury and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,625±$146 15% above U.S. |
$2,310±$200Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$6,992 124% above U.S. |
$7,580 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.9%±14.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Tewksbury 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.4%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH | #103 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Pelham School District | Salem School District | Tewksbury |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Pelham High School | Salem High School | Tewksbury Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.2 |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.