Compare towns
Dracut vs Pelham vs Williston
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
14,449 |
10,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest 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% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest 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% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% 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±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Williston 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. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% 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% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dracut | Pelham School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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.