Compare towns
Dracut vs Plainfield vs Middlesex vs Randolph Town
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 highest household income ($114k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Randolph Town has the most renters (28.7% rent).
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 | Plainfield | Middlesex | Randolph Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
1,314Lowest |
1,943 |
34,878Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
41.3±1.8Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Middlesex 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% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Randolph Town and Middlesex 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 41% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$109,573±$6k 36% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Middlesex 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. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$496,400±$21kHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Randolph Town and Dracut 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. |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$2,103±$98Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$4,806Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$5,644 81% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Randolph Town 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield 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 | — | — | #260 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Randolph |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | — | None in town | Randolph High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
— | — | 14.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.