Compare towns
Dracut vs Pelham vs Sandown
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 expensive homes ($553k median).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Sandown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
14,449 |
6,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
40.8±3.7Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sandown and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest 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±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$135,040±$25k 67% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$483,400±$44k 45% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Sandown 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 |
$1,893±$721Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Sandown and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
$8,801Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.1%±48.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.4%±13.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandown and Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #71 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dracut | Pelham School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.