Compare towns
Dracut vs Pelham vs Sidney
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 the most renters (20.2% rent).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Sidney has the most affordable homes ($336k 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 | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
14,449 |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Dracut 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Pelham 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% |
18.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sidney 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest 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% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest 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. |
$83,488±$10kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Pelham 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 42% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$336,200±$34kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,340±$304Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below 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% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dracut | Pelham School District | RSU 18 |
| 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 History | 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.